Autumn Nights
by c.cook13
Summary: New Curse, New problems... New Autumn? The one thing Golds know how to do in times of crisis is evolve. Growing up the daughter of Belle and The Dark One, in a place where there are only Heros and Villains, Autumn has a choice to make. But with new friends, new foes and same old Storybrook, she may not have the time to choose. Sequel to Autumn Days.
1. Chapter 1

**Merry Christmas! or Happy Hanukkah! Either way.. here is my holiday gift! I give you Autumn Nights! Enjoy!**

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Autumn ran from the sink mirror to her full sized mirror. The door to her room bursts opened.

"Autumn!" Belle was pulling her robe over her, and stopped mid stride, her mouth falling open. "Autumn?" she whispered.

"I know!" Autumn turned back to the mirror. "What happened?" she saw the reflection of her mother, who was searching through a purse that was on a chest of drawers.

"It seems as though you've aged eight years… overnight." Belle handed her a Maine driver's license with her picture on it, and looking deeper. "And… it seems you own the town."

"What… how… how am I supposed to be 20 years old?" Autumn looked shocked.

"Calm down love.."

"I can't calm down." Autumn panted. "I don't know how to run a town?!" she shrieked. "I don't even know what to do with these things!" she grabbed her chest,

"They're called breasts," Belle said, chuckling as she reached into a drawer, "And they go in a bra." Mother passed the bit of wire and fabric to daughter.

"I know what they are.." Autumn mumbled, staring at the bra. "I just didn't think I would have them this grown, this soon."

"Yes… neither did I." Belle smiled. "It seems your wardrobe has evolved to accommodate you though, as well as your documentation. Do you know what that means?"

"This… this is a new curse?" Autumn said slowly.

"Yes, very good." Belle nodded. "Get dressed, we need to go look at the rest of the town."

"Knowing my luck it'll be rent day too." Autumn grumbled sarcastically as Belle closed her bedroom door behind her.

"That's the spirit, love." Belle laughed. Autumn wandered over to her closet and looked at the clothes. Some cute dresses, some were casual wear and some well… some looked like they belonged to pre curse Ruby. Blouses, cardigans, blazers, jeans, and…

"Pant suits?" Autumn scoffed. "Really? Who the hell does this curse think I am? Regina?" She rolled her eyes and chose a lace collared shirt, square shoulder blazer and dark skinny jeans, not wanting to look too much like Regina or her father.

At that thought, something caught in her throat. She closed her eyed and could see the scene again vividly. Her father, the knife, the black smoke… just as she had always seen it in her premonitions before. A lump began to form, with it came a whimper. Autumn opened her eyes and stared at herself as she sat down at her vanity. With a hard look to herself and a deep breath, she swallowed her pain.

"Enough Autumn." She scolded herself. "People need you, mother needs you. No use in losing yourself in something you cannot change." She looked at the makeup and smiled. Her and her mom used to do make overs on each other. She knew how to do it. With some eye liner and lip gloss she was ready and met her mother downstairs.

"So… where should we start?" Autumn asked. There was a knock at the door.

"It must have found us." Belle giggled, Autumn was less amused and answered the door. There on the doorstep stood a young looking man, gingerly leaning on the door frame. He was a good 5'11, in a black leather vested jacked with cloth arms and a navy collared shirt and dark jeans. He had dark hair and Autumn lifted her brow when he caught her eye, one was pink and one was purple. Autumn had never seen him before in her life.

"Hello." He said, his voice silky, "No need to ask if Belle lives here… I didn't know she had a sister." He had a wide grin that fit his face.

"I'm not her sister, and who are you?" Autumn sized the newcomer up.

"You're not? Huh, you look exactly like her." The man ignored her question.

"Chess?" Belle said from behind her. The man perked up and glided passed Autumn and gave her mother a chaste, friendly peck on the cheek. "How have you been? And what are you doing _here_?"

"There is the thick of it. I made a deal with the Dark One that if anything should happen to him, I would protect you and his precious, little princess… where is the little love?" Chess smiled.

"Rose… well Autumn in this world, is standing right there." Belle gestured at her now adult daughter.

"That right?" Chess lifted a brow, making his pink eye sparkle. "I was expecting a little girl. That is what the townsfolk have been preparing me for."

"Growth spurt… plus I would be in my 40's or so." Autumn said, still sizing him up.

"Mazel tov." He said offhandedly.

"Is this even the correct context for saying that?" Autumn crossed her arms. Chess just shrugged.

"We were heading to look at the town. We're obviously in a new curse." Belle was inviting him and Autumn shot her a look. "Although this is your first time. Welcome to Storybrook Chess."

"And my mother and I have protection." Autumn told him.

"Ahh yes. Tall, dark and not useful." Chess sneered back.

"Dove is so useful!" Autumn seethed, Chess laughed, snapped and pointed his finger.

"There it is! Your father. Controlling and aren't used to someone blissfully ignoring what you think." Chess held the door open for her mother and swept his arm, motioning for Autumn to follow. Autumn's mind was made up, she did not like Chess. She walked passed him and caught up with her mother.

"Seriously, mother?" Autumn said.

"He is an acquired taste. Like how you warmed up to Hook in Neverland." Belle smiled. "He's nice in his own way. And extremely useful. As well as loyal to your father, loyal enough to obviously realm jump before the curse to the Enchanted Forest from Wonderland and get cursed."

"But mother…" Autumn started.

"Just play nice." Belle said sweetly. "This will lessen Dove's load as well. If you are anything like I was at your age, well... there will be little stopping you from doing what you wish. Which means you will be working on figuring out this new curse. I'll keep Chess with me, and Dove will go with you." Autumn opened her mouth to argue, but found no fault in her mother's plan and consented.

"Fair enough." They walked outside and in the drive way there was the Cadillac, an Audi and an expensive looking motorcycle. Autumn walked over to the Audi and ran her hand on the car. "I love this new curse."

"Do you know how to drive any of these?" Belle asked.

"No… don't you?" Autumn asked. Belle turned to Chess who shook his head.

"I magic everywhere." He shrugged. "And honestly… I don't even know what those things are."

"Wow… you're so useful." Autumn rolled her eyes, then like a savior, Dove drove up to the curb. "Dove!" her running hug was accepted by being picked up off the ground.

"Little Missus?" he lifted an eye brow.

"I know, right? Big girl heels and everything." She showed off her tall, thick heeled boots. He looked back at Belle.

"She just woke up this way. Dove, meet Chess. He was a friend of Rumple's." Belle smiled, giving a proper introduction.

"Daddy didn't have friends." Autumn said, she didn't know what it was, but nothing about this man seemed right.

"It was complicated." Chess shrugged.

"There is no shortage of that here, pleasure to meet you." Dove shook his hand. "Heading to Granny's?" he said knowingly. To Autumn's relief, Chess declined to come, telling Belle he would meet up with her later. In the car Dove looked back at Autumn, "You don't seem to like Chess."

"I just think it's odd. He comes out of the blue and says he's dad's friend." Autumn told him.

"Chess just has that odd aura to him darling." Belle assured her. "Like Jefferson, it comes with the territory of being a realm jumper and being from Wonderland."

"Mmm…" Autumn hummed and wrinkled her nose. They pulled up to Granny's and Red met them at the door when they entered.

"Belle!" then she looked at Autumn. "Woah."

"What? I just got a little older."

"Like ten years older," Red hugged Autumn and turned to Belle, "Thank goodness that didn't happen to the rest of us."

"You're telling me." Dove winked at her.

"But it still beats the way Snow woke up." Red giggled, walking them to the diner bar seating.

"How did she wake up?" Belle asked. Red just pointed to the diner door.

"Woah." Dove, Autumn and Belle all chorused. Charming was leading Snow into a booth seat, and the woman was at least 9 months pregnant.

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**Yes I know There are some questions... but believe me they will all be answered in time! either way, I hope you all enjoyed your gift from me!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello all! Hope you had great Holidays! New Chapter Time!**

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"Snow?" Autumn stared for a moment,

"Oh Snow! You're practically glowing!" Belle cooed, "You look so much better than I did. I grew huge." She laughed. Charming was just looking at Autumn,

"Belle?" he started, "Do.. do you have a sister?"

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Autumn frowned,

"I didn't think so…" Snow got up and hugged Autumn. "How did this happen?" she chuckled.

"I'd ask you the same question… but I definitely don't want to hear that story." Autumn chuckled.

"I don't remember the story anyway." Snow looked worried,

"Yes. It seems this is a new curse… and we are missing a rather large chunk of time…" Dove nodded.

"I think I'm an anomaly. I'm guessing it's closer to a missing year."

"So… what next?" Charmin asked, Autumn shrugged.

"Business as usual, I guess."

"And we've got another person casting curses." Snow knitted her eye brows.

"Regina?" Dove asked.

"There isn't any proof of that. But we should probably keep out eyes open." Belle nodded. "Except you Snow, you should probably go and rest."

"I can't believe you're having a baby." Autumn smiled.

"I know… I can't stop thinking about Emma." Snow looked sad.

"I'm sure… I'm sure she'll come back. I mean… you Charmings always find each other."

"Autumn's right Snow." Charming smiled and got a bag from Ruby. "Let's go home and soak your feet."

"Extra ketchup Ruby?" Snow smiled.

"Yep."

"Great. Bye Autumn." Snow hugged her. After she left, Belle leaned over the counter to Ruby,

"Extra ketchup on what?"

"Pancakes." Belle and Ruby giggled, Autumn looked at Dove, who had a similar look of disgust on his face.

"Right… well I think I want to check up on the town." Autumn announced.

"Actually I was going to go check on the library myself." Belle checked her watch, Dove looked a bit torn and that made Autumn smile,

"Go with mom, Dove." She giggled, "I don't plan on going off Main, except maybe to take a peek in the shop , and come back here for food." Dove gave her a look. "I'll be ffiiinnnee." Autumn sighed. "The Library is the one with the dragon underneath it."

"Keep your phone on." Dove lifted his eye brow.

"I know." She looked at her mother, "Anything to add?"

"No. You're a big girl, you know how to handle yourself." Belle smiled. Autumn hopped off the diner stool and set off down the street. The town looked completely normal, like they all had fallen asleep and woken up in a new curse, but same town. Archie was walking Pongo and waived hello to her. She nodded at all the dwarves. When she passed the ice cream shop, she knocked on the window and waived to the woman behind the counter, who looked up and smiled back, since she was hands deep in ice cream. Everything looked so normal. She arrived at the shop and opened the door. As she swept her eyes over the shop, nothing looked out of the ordinary. She walked behind the counter and touched the top and the edge of the glass case, inhaling deeply the scent of dust and antiquity. The smell that part of her was so sure she had spent her childhood smelling the shop and the other part of her remembering the rooms of the Dark Castle smelt so similar. Either way, it smelled like home… it smelled like her father. As she ran her hand along the cool glass she knocked something to the floor. She looked down and saw her father's cane.

All logic told her to just bend down and pick it up, but she sat on the floor and held it in her hand. Autumn checked the sign was flipped to 'closed' and she let herself cry. After a while, one of the clocks chimed and told her that she was a crying mess on the floor for about an hour. She sniffled, hung the cane gentle back on the counter, cleaned up her face and make up in a mirror and left the shop, locking the door behind her. There was a rumble in her stomach that could only be filled by the greasiest batch of fries and burger that Granny had. Autumn was taking deep breaths to clear up her blotchy face and looking down as she walked, she didn't want anyone to know that she had lost it on the floor of her father's shop. She was head down, lost in thought when she smacked into something hard. The hit was hard enough to knock both parties to the ground.

"Oof." Autumn exclaimed, the other party made a similar sound but was first to get to their feet with a gasp that told her it was a male.

"My gods, I am so sorry. Are you hurt?" Autumn's eyes met green eyes and flaming red hair with an outstretched hand.

"What, Yeah. I'm cool. I just wasn't paying attention." Autumn took the hand and he easily lifted her to her feet.

"I confess I wasn't either, trying to make sense of this…" he held up a paper, it was a map of the town, and it was torn down the crease. "Well… it wasn't torn before." He chuckled nervously.

"That was probably me… sorry. Here." Autumn concentrated and the map was fixed. The young man looked at the now fixed piece of paper, wide eyed.

"Wow…"

"Oh my. Don't freak out." Autumn held up her hand. "I didn't introduce myself before doing that, I should have. I'm Autumn, Autumn Gold."

"Oh. The Dark One's daughter, I'm a goose." He made a swift bow. "I am Prince Hans of the Southern Isles." Autumn giggled.

"So… new to town?" she gestured to the map.

"Yes. I just woke up in this strange place, in my bed… well where I hope was my bed. It would be frightfully embarrassing to have it be someone else's." Hans chuckled nervously.

"I'm not far from the shop, I can double check. It will probably make this a whole lot less frazzling if you knew you had a place that was yours or not."

"Yes. I would be indebted." He smiled and bowed slightly again.

"You don't have to keep bowing. It's not like that in this world." She smiled at his gracefulness.

"Ah… yes, it seems I have some things to learn." They walked back the few doors to the shop and Autumn unlocked it, but Hans opened the door for her. "Am I still in my rights to hold the door for a young lady?"

"Yes. That's fine here." She stepped in and waived him behind her. "Come in… but umm.. I'm not sure it's entirely safe to touch anything."

"Noted." He nodded. Autumn slipped behind the counter again and unlocked the safe holding rent leases. She looked up at Hans, "Did you happen to catch yourself having a last name in this world… and please don't say Solo." She chuckled and then remembered he wouldn't understand the joke.

"Umm…" he thought. "Oh I have this card with my picture on it." He dug his ID out of his wallet. Autumn took it, Princeton… _Almost as bad as Solo_ she shook her head. She looked at the name and checked it with the address that was also provided on the ID.

"Good news, it was in fact your house you woke up in." she smiled.

"Thank the gods for that. Now if I could only find the eatery Granny's everyone keeps talking about." He said.

"Actually that is where I was headed. I'll show you."

"You seem to be my savior." He smiled and they chatted on the way to Granny's, as they sat in a booth, Autumn asked an important question,

"So the Southern Isles were caught in this curse?" she knitted her eye brows and Ruby came over and sat a pepsi in front of her and she had brought one for Hans as well.

"No, actually, the last I remember was there was reports to my Kingdom that the Enchanted Forest was filled again and the people came from a giant purple cloud. So I was being sent to offer any aid or resources from my Kingdom… umm.." he looked down. "Word of your father reached us, and I decided to go ahead of the cargo with men to help fend away the ogres. And that's all."

"Well… than your meal is on the house Newbie." Ruby smiled.

"This is Ruby. Ruby, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. And can we have 2 burgers and a whole bunch of fries." Autumn smiled,

"Nice to meet you Hans." Ruby nodded. "Come right up Autumn."

"Burger?" Hans asked quizzically, also eyeing the soda.

"It's delicious. And so is that. It's pepsi, you drink it. Not all the time though. Just try it." He took a sip and Autumn giggled at his happy reaction. "See!" Ruby came over and dropped the order, setting down an extra bottle of ketchup in addition to the one that was at the table. "Thanks Ruby."

"Yep. Oh and word to the wise Hans… don't touch her ketchup." Ruby laughed as Autumn playfully smacked her.

"I will be sure to be wary…as soon as I find out what ketchup is." He nodded. The spent the rest of lunch talking about themselves to one another,

"You have 12 brothers? Holy crap." Autumn stared at him.

"Yeah.. and I'm the youngest." Hans voice drip with exasperation.

"I have an older brother… but we don't really have problems. He's my half-brother and he's like…. Two hundred years older than I am. Plus I just met him not to long ago… although he is annoying sometimes." They both chuckled.

"Missus." Dove's voice made Autumn turn. "Your mother wanted to know if you wanted lunch… but I see you've had it." He turned to Hans. "Hello?"

"Dove, this is Prince Hans… Hans, this is my Knight, Dove." Autumn made the introduction and swiftly stood and held out his hand for Dove.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance sir."

"Pleasure is ours, Hans." Belle came walking up from the door.

"Of course, My lady." Hans stopped himself in a bow. "Sorry, still trying to get used to this world."

"No worries Hans. But I do need to talk to Autumn about something."

"Of course." Hans turned to Autumn. "Thank you for all your help."

"Yea, I'll see you around." Autumn smiled and Hans left.

"He seems like a nice young man." Dove said.

"Mmmm." Belle said thoughtfully. "He's a Prince."

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**Okay okay! Before I hear this, yes it is happening... no you can't stop this. Yes, I planned this out so it'll still fit in the future OUaT-verse, I've planned this character entry since I watched Frozen (which I don't own rights to btw). I thought, a Prince who isn't good... but still Charming? Well that'll shake things up and BOOM we're here.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and to my lovely fans.**

**Some non fanfic business... I heard about, like all of you have I am sure, the terrorist attack in France. I don't know if I have any fans in France (I just recently found out I had one in Australia), but I want to send my condolences. I believe that right to free speech/press is something we should all share, and I am deeply sadden for those families and for the whole country and I hold up my pen in respect. #jesuisCharlie**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! New Chapter time! this one is structured a little bit different, but it's for a great reason! Enjoy!**

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Two weeks into the new curse had actually gone smoothly. Most people knew where they belonged in Storybrook and they fell into an old sense of normalcy. There were a few newbies that seemed to find their place, Autumn was delighted to find her old tea party companion, Robin Hood, and his gang of Merry Men were among them. There were also two people missing: Hook and Neal. No one had seen either of them, but everyone was keeping an eye out for them. Autumn and Hans had also developed something as well, it was a little more than friendship but a little less than romance. It was a comforting balance, and both parties seemed okay with it. Chess, however, continued to be an annoying addition to her life, but he was very helpful around the house and the library, but she would never tell him that, his ego was big enough as it was. Chess seemed to take good charge of the library while Belle and Autumn took turns in the shop. He seemed to love involving Autumn in childish mind games and tit for tats. Dove was spending his time between Belle and Autumn and working at the shop as well.

This morning Autumn was walking with Hans, they were getting a late breakfast at Granny's after Autumn helped Belle open the library and before Autumn went to open the shop. They were walking to the crosswalk when Autumn caught something at Granny's…. A yellow bug.

"Oh my god!" Autumn shrieked and ran across the street. There was a screech of tires. "Sorry Marco!" she waived back at the car she accidentally darted in front of it.

"Autumn wait…." She heard Hans behind her, he must have ran after her because she heard him apologizing to Marco as well. Autumn burst into the dinner and saw a mop of blonde hair.

"Emma!" Autumn jump hugged the woman.

"Autumn?" Emma was confused.

"Yes!" Autumn giggled and hugged her again. "You came back."

"I did… but Henry doesn't remember." Emma whispered to her ear. Autumn pulled back and gave her a weird look. "Later." They nodded. "Em… This is Hans. Hans, this is Emma…" Autumn turned and muttered. "Practice the hello we practiced." Hans nodded,

"It's a pleasure Emma, I have heard a lot of about you." He shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you." Emma looked weird about meeting someone new in Storybrook. Autumn looked around Emma and saw Henry sitting there.

"Oh my goodness, Henry?" Autumn giggled,

"Yea… do I know you?"

"Only when you were really young, too young to remember." Autumn lied flawlessly.

"Don't tell me you were in jail with my mom like Miss Blanchard…" he rose an eyebrow and Autumn looked at Snow who shrugged innocently.

"No… my father was your mother's lawyer in regards to you. Since she was still technically incarcerated when you were born. Last I saw you, you were like a few months old." Autumn covered, Emma looked impressed.

"Oh yeah, my dad put her there."

"So I heard." Autumn smiled,

"So what's your connection with Miss Blanchard?"

"She gave Emma my father's number, because she's originally is from here and my family... well I own this place." She told the curious Henry, he was trying to set her up.

"The Inn?" Henry asked.

"The town." Autumn corrected him.

"You're too young." Henry sized her up.

"I agree… but death didn't ask my opinion when he took my father last year." She shrugged.

"Oh… sorry." Henry looked down, ashamed.

"Don't worry about it. Sometimes, when things go bad, you just have to step up and grow." Autumn smiled.

**_The Enchanted Forest one year ago. _**

Autumn watched the tail lights of the bug fade into a mist of magic. It clogged her vision and when it finally subsided, all she could see were trees,

"We're back." Snow whispered, and they were. Autumn tried to control her shaking as she looked down at the ground.

"Autumn… honey… are you okay?" Belle asked, flashing her a weary smile. Autumn couldn't bring herself to speak and just shook her head. Someone called for them, and Snow greeted them. These people must have been left behind, Autumn didn't really care. Everything just seemed to blur, until she realized that Hook was on a horse. _He looks stupid riding a horse._ She thought and walked over to him.

"Why are you on a horse? You look stupid." The looked up at him.

"Aye, that's why I never became a knight. I'm off to look for my ship." Hook nodded from his horse.

"You're leaving me? Now?" Autumn glared at him.

"Autumn…" but she cut him off and balled her little hands into fists.

"Go. I'm twelve, I can figure this out on my own." She turned around and walked off.

"Lass…" he called after her, but Autumn kept walking. Neal obviously heard the conversation between Hook and Autumn, he fell into step with his half-sister.

"You didn't have to treat him that way." Neal told her.

"What?"

"I know you are hurting but you can't treat people like that…" Autumn cut him off.

"You don't know how feel." She told him.

"He was my dad too." He reminded her.

"You didn't love him as much as I did. You left him. I would have never left him." She growled at him.

"How the hell can you say that?! You have no idea what I went through." Neal was pissed.

"And you don't know what I am going through." Autumn walked passed him and joined the head of the group where her mother was.

"There you are Sweetie. We are gathering to stay at Regina's Castle." Belle looked at Neal as he trudged behind Autumn. "Thank you for finding her, Neal."

"Yeah." He gruffed.

Autumn stood silently at her mother's side as the mass of displaced people moved through the forest as a herd. After a while, Autumn noticed that Regina had disappeared from the group, Snow had as well and Autumn saw her leave the group to find Regina. Not long after Snow left, Autumn heard a faint Shrieking noise. She looked to the rest of the group and saw that no one made any motion that told her that anyone else had heard the noise, so she slipped away on her own to investigate. The noise got louder as she rounded a bend. Then she saw Regina throwing fireballs at a black creature with wings, but the creature was too fast and trying to attack her and Snow. Autumn ran up and tried her own magic, hoping to catch whatever it was off guard. She concentrated and nothing happened.

"Honestly." She hugged to herself. Then she found a rock and a thick stick, she picked up rock and threw it at the creature and hit it. Stunned, the winged thing turned around. "Back off of them!" Autumn yelled. Then, it charged at her, but Autumn was ready. She held the stick like a hitter at bat.

"Autumn!" she heard Snow yell. She had begun her swing, but instead of making contact, the creature was thrown off by and arrow to the wing, then another shot at it, then it flew off with a screech. Snow and Regina ran up to Autumn.

"Autumn, Honey are you okay?" Snow asked her.

"Rosalynn." The three looked up and saw a group of men walking towards them.

"Robin. I should have known a shot like that was taken by you."

"Yes. Are you hurt.." Robin started in his fatherly voice

"No I'm.."

"What were you thinking…" he continued, ignoring her.

"I had it under…"

"Where is your father?"

"Dead." That stopped Robin. "Dad is dead."

"Oh… Rosie." Robin put an arm around her.

"It's umm.. actually Autumn now. The curse gave us new names… it's complicated. My mother is back with the group, just a little bit around the bend." Autumn explained.

"Your mother?" Robin smiled and turned to Regina and Snow. "Are you two ladies alright?"

"We were fine, and didn't need help." Regina gruffed.

"Well I'm grateful." Snow smiled. "And you are?"

"Robin of Locksley. This is my right hand man, Little John, and the rest of my Merry Men." Robin nodded. When they rejoined the group, Robin told Belle about Autumn and the creature that was identified as a flying monkey.

"Autumn." Belle looked shocked, "You could have been really hurt."

"Mom. I was fine."

"Sweetie, this isn't Storybrook. We aren't as protected, and there are just things you can't do." Belle was stern. Autumn just looked down and sighed. She understood that her mother was in pain as well, and Autumn was really all she had left, but Autumn knew she could have handled that monkey. They continued walking and Autumn began muttering to herself,

"Dealing with crazy people and Cora, that's okay… Neverland and my crazy grandfather, sure… a flying monkey and having a minute to myself, oh no… that's too dangerous. Because Storybrook was sooooo safe… with curses and hidden insane asylums. And no one listening to me."

"I'm listening." Charming said with a chuckle, "I get it. You have done and been through so much… but you can't want to grow up too fast, Autumn. You'll get there."

_Grow up. That's it… I need to get older._ Autumn thought. "I know." She sighed to appease Charming then looked sideways at Regina, who was still acting suspicious, and smiled.

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**It seems as though Autumn has an idea! Ooohhhhh... I hope you guys enjoyed!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! New chapter! It's another split chapter, and it's kind of short, but it's packed!**

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**_The __Enchanted Forest_**

That night Autumn waited near the fire, everyone was ln edge and disappointed. When they finally got to Regina's castle earlier that day, they found it protected with strong magic, meaning someone else had taken up in it. Regina announced she was going to get inside and take out the protective spell, the fact that Regina was volunteering for something shocked everyone, except Autumn. She noticed Regina's strange and squirrely behavior. Whatever Regina had planned, Autumn knew it wasn't exactly good. When Regina separated herself from the group around the fire, Autumn knew she had to approach the former queen.

"Regina… wait."

"Autumn? Go back to the group. You can't come." The queen turned her away quickly,

"I don't want to go with you. I need your help before you go."

"With what?" Regina turned slowly,

"I need you to make me older before you go." Autumn stated.

"No."

"No, what do you mean no? I know enough about your squirrely behavior to know that you aren't coming back, and I can't protect my mom on my own like this. And if you expect me to put my faith in the run-away wonder, you're crazy." Autumn huffed.

"Autumn…" Regina started. Autumn sighed.

"Ok, I guess we're doing it this way... Dad is dead, all your debt to him, is now a debt to me. If you don't give me this, I'll both add interest and tell the Charmings that you aren't planning to come back." She put her hands on her hips. Regina glared.

"You little sneak."

"Your choice." Autumn shrugged. Regina sighed and waived her hands. Autumn felt the all too familiar whoosh of magic and in a puff of smoke she was taller, shapely and grown. Autumn looked down at herself and smiled. "No wonder Daddy was so harsh on you... it seems to be the only thing that works." She giggled.

"You're welcome." Regina smirked.

"Thank you…" Autumn turned to leave, but pivoted back. "You know… I don't know what you're going to do… but I wish you wouldn't do it. Henry may not be here, but people still care… and people still need you." And she walked away.

**_Storybrook_**

Autumn sat in a town meeting Emma called, listening to the people in this town turn directly to Regina to place blame. Regina was present and defended herself,

"I am missing my memories, just like everyone else. I didn't do this."

"Maybe she didn't…" Whale stood up. "I see another magical being who has gone through a very significant change." He raised his glance to Autumn.

"You think I did this? Honestly? I can barely make it across town magically, I think across realms is put of the question." Autumn looked at the physician.

"I find that hard to believe. With who your father was, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Whale glared.

"You jerk! I'll show you fucking apple." Autumn snarled standing up, Belle put a hand on her shoulder.

"Autumn." She looked at her daughter. "Victor, Autumn didn't do this. Honestly people, we cannot just turn on each other."

"Miss Belle is right." Hans stepped up. "I've only been here a few weeks and I'm appalled at how quickly you all turned on each other, we will never figure out anything at this rate."

"Yes… you sound like Belle…. Someone who sleeps with the enemy." The Doctor went too far, Autumn knew this when Belle let go of her and walked passed the former prince to punch the Doctor straight in the face.

"Anyone else have something unnecessary to say about my daughter and who I sleep with?" Belle looked around, the town looked at the usually well-mannered libraries and shook their head, Belle turned to her daughter and nodded. Autumn looked around and saw Emma and Regina gone. _They did not… _ she thought to herself, then took a deep breath to address the crowd.

"I get it, we're all confused and scared. But trust me, I will work with Emma and figure this out. Everyone just go about as normal. Before we leave, let's actually try to get something done. We have one less missing person, Hook appeared with Emma. Has everyone found who they were looking for? Their families?" the crowd nodded.

"There is still no sign of your brother." Archie said sadly.

"Okay, does everyone have a place to stay? Merry Men, you are welcome to sleep in the library when the nights get cold. If there is anyone else, the convent is open." She instructed. The crowd seemed to ease with her. Autumn took to the crowd quickly and with a few more announcements the townspeople left the meeting more comfortable than when they came.

"That was very impressive Autumn." Hans smiled at her. "You have a way with people."

"I know most of these people personally," Autumn shrugged, hiding a slight blush. "I guess I'm a people person." Now that the room was quiet, she heard voiced from a back room. "Excuse me Hans, hun. I'll see you at Granny's later." She smiled and walked to the voices. She opened it to reveal Emma and Regina.

"Thanks for throwing me to the wolves guys."

"Your mom punching Whale was the perfect distraction." Emma shrugged,

"And I am so glad she is did it, honestly." Regina smiled,

"Next time I am a distraction, at least let me know?" Autumn crossed her arms. The women chuckled. "I hate it when you guys work together. You two are much easier to predict when you're enemies."

* * *

**Yes I know it was short and it's been a while... I hope you all liked it still..**

**School and life is delaying it... also I've started, but not posted, another fan fiction. It's not OUaT, but if someone wants to ask and check it out definitely PM me. Stay awesome my lovely fans!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! I am so sorry for the wait! I was having trouble with the doc manager, it wasn't saving and thus I couldn't post new chapters! Buut I am here now and hopefully have no more problems! Enjoy!**

* * *

"Sooo… a stakeout?" Autumn said, noting how the back of Emma's bug was not as roomy as it used to be.

"Yep." Emma said silently,

"Soo… we just wait here." Autumn asked again.

"You said you wanted to come and be a part of things. Well… here you go." Emma responded.

"That I did…" Autumn sucked her teeth. "That I did." She muttered to herself.

"Look." Emma pointed to the light that turned on in Regina's office. "Come on." She gestured to Regina and Autumn, who were struggling to get out of the cramped bug. Autumn regretted wearing heels as the three of them ran up the stairs and saw the door opened and a cloaked figure disappear in a cloud of green smoke. The make shift magic lab Regina set up was completely smashed.

"Regina… what happened? I thought you sealed the room in blood?" Emma asked Regina.

"I did." Regina stared at the carnage.

"Umm.. can we talk about the green smoke for a second?" Autumn lifted an eye brow.

"Do you know who has green smoke?" Emma asked her, Autumn bit her lip remembering something from Henry's book.

"Well…" Autumn tasted blood as she thought. "There was mention of Oz in Henry's book."

"The Wicked Witch of the West? Seriously…" Emma looked skeptical Regina didn't even dignify Autumn's suggested with a worded response. Both women turned to exit the destroyed office and Autumn hurried behind them.

"I know it sounds crazy, okay? I know.. just… well there was a fairy tale that my dad used to always tell me to . And after the curse, whenever I would watch Wicked, he'd tell me the story."

"If she is a fairy tale where you're from, isn't that like total proof that she doesn't exist."

"Not always, many of my be good stories come from his adventures, just like your fairy tales in this world have a grain of truth to them." Autumn defended her conclusion. "There was once a woman," she started, "And her quest for power was so great that it caused her to abandon something so precious, her own baby girl."

"This is nonsensical." Regina scoffed. "We need to look for this person, not listening to stories."

"The orphan was found by two strangers and grew up poor, but worse she grew up different. She had magic in a world where magic was not looked kindly upon. When she grew up, she found a place where magic was accepted. She also found a teacher… and that her mother had another child, a daughter. The woman's sister grew up in luxury…"

"It's not the wicked witch." Regina said again.

"The woman's sister was a queen, and she became obsessed with power and very jealous of her sister. It overwhelmed her and her teacher saw this and turned her away…" Autumn finished. "Regina…"

"I don't have a sister." Regina said again.

"You sealed that room with your blood Regina." Autumn, Emma stepped away for a phone call.

"It's more possible that this is your father's doing than it is for me to have a sister." Regina argued back.

"Even my father couldn't break a blood seal, so let's not play the zombie defense. Mmm?"

"I think Autumn might be on to something." Emma jumped back into the conversation. The two looked at the blonde. "We have a flying monkey at the hospital."

"Sounds like Oz to me." Autumn smirked as they three of them rushed out of the building.

They burst into the hospital and noticed the commotion. Hans was in the waiting room as well, there was a winged, flying black mass that was fighting with Hans, the Merry Men, and Charming. Snow was standing near the entrance, not being able to do anything because of her pregnant belly. Hans pulled a sword on the creature when it launched at him but Robin yelled,

"No, don't hurt him. That's little John." The creature lunged towards Snow, but Autumn put her hand up, providing Snow and her baby belly with a magical shield that the creature ricocheted off of.

"Don't touch the pregnant lady." Autumn said, the creature then turned to her. "Oh crap." She tried to replicate but she wasn't fast enough. The creature mowed her over and went out of the hospital's automatic doors with a screech. Regina stood over Autumn chuckling.

"I reserved saying this out of politeness," Autumn groaned as Hans helped her up. "but I told you so." She glared at Regina, the smile slipped from the former queen's face.

"I don't like you as much grown up…" Regina mused.

"So what happened?" Charming asked.

"Oz beats Zombies." Autumn shrugged.

"I wasn't suggesting he was a zombie…" Regina scoffed.

"What are you two talking about?" Charming asked.

"Oz?" Hans asked.

"I'll explain when we get somewhere different. I have to call Dove to let him know and to tell mom." Autumn nodded and everyone agreed as she stepped away to make the phone call, Hans followed her.

"Autumn.. are you alright? That beast charged with a vengeance." He smiled.

"Yeah." Autumn chuckled "I was dealing with tougher foes when I was ten."

"Alright… I was just making sure." He took her hand and kissed it and walked away.


	6. Chapter 6

**New Chapter time my amazing fans! Who's excited?! I am! Enjoy!**

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"Our new foe is the Wicked Witch?" Dove asked Autumn as he was driving her to the sheriff station the next morning.

"Yes… no fangirling." She told him.

"I do not fangirl." Dove huffed,

"Right, then I probably shouldn't tell you I found a special edition, signed copy of the Les Mis original production, London script."

"You did not!" he accidentally swerved the car as he gasped.

"Ahh..." she tisked. "My fangirl in crime." Autumn winked.

"I do not fangirl." Dove mumbled as he stopped the car, Autumn was getting out and Dove grabbed her hand, "Little Missus… All joking aside. Please, just be careful."

"It's not like she's in the station, Dove." Autumn giggled, but noticed he was serious. "I will… go watch mom's back. I have the savior and Regina on my side. Nothing is happening to me."

"Okay, okay." He nodded, smiling a bit. Autumn walked into the station and Emma, Charming and Hook were leaving.

"Where are we going?"

"You're staying back and researching with your mom." Charming said.

"What?!" Autumn yelled.

"I didn't stutter." Charming eyed her.

"I heard you want your rent raised." Autumn challenged, Charming just laughed at her. "Glad I amuse you… you were afraid of my father."

"I didn't read your father to sleep and deal with his nightmares, or I probably would laugh at him too." Charming shrugged, Hook chuckled.

"He's got you there, Love." Hook smirked.

"If you don't want to spend it with your mother, go hang out with Mary Margret." Emma said,

"Why can't I go out and find the witch?" Autumn asked.

"Because you were taken out by a flying monkey last night." Emma said clasping Autumn on the shoulder,

"There is also the option of hanging out with her new Beaux, Prince too perfect." Hook teased her.

"Really? Really?" Autumn jerked her head in Emma's direction when her back was turned, Hook's smirk fell. "That's what I thought Captain Awkwardly Pinning."

"Seriously Autumn, go keel Mary Margaret company, we've got this." Charming smiled.

"Okay." Autumn sighed and magicked herself to Snow's house and knocked on the door. "Hi Snow."

"Autumn, I thought I saw Dove driving you to the station."

"Yeah. He wanted to talk to me. But I got booted out of the fun stuff." Autumn scrunched her face. "So can I hang out with you?"

"Yes… come in. You can meet Zelena." Snow gestured to the woman at the breakfast bar.

"Oh.. Hello, I'm Autumn."

"Hello."

"Zelena is going to be my birthing coach and midwife." Snow giggled excitedly.

"Oh? And how is the bug in a rug doing today?" Autumn touched Snow's stomach.

"Good. He's kicking up a storm though." Snow laughed.

"So, Zelena, I haven't seen you around. Newcomer?"

"That obvious huh?" Zelena giggled.

"Nah. Small town." Autumn shrugged. "But having a midwife around town is useful. All we have is Frankenstein and a fairy with a grudge."

"Autumn." Snow chuckled.

"I feel like I should understand that." Zelena smiled.

"It's better if you don't. We want you to feel comfortable here." Autumn smiled.

"Did Charming tell you when he was going to be coming?" Snow asked Autumn.

"No… I didn't think he was. He told me to keep you, company."

"That man. Ugh.. excuse me Zelena." Snow went upstairs to call her husband.

"It seems even Prince Charming gets in trouble with his wife." Zelena laughed,

"More than you think." Autumn smiled back.

"Would you like a cup of tea? I made it, a special blend to calm down our mother to be, but it is good tasting to anyone." But before Autumn could answer Snow came back in.

"Hey Autumn, Charming is coming back. You're more than welcome to stay but we are going to be talking about birthing things and.."

"Yeah, I'm gone. I'd rather have that stage in my life be a mystery for as long as I can." Autumn smiled and shook Zelena's hand. "It was nice meeting you."

"You as well." Zelena smiled, Autumn left the apartment and magicked to Granny's and picked up lunch for her mother, Dove and herself. Then asked before she left?

"Hey Rubes, do you know what Chess orders?"

"He seems fond of the pulled pork and onion rings… why?"

"I'm going to need one of those as well, I guess." Autumn sighed. "And whatever the nuisance drinks."

"I don't understand why you and him dislike each other so much."

"Each other? What has the fleabag said about me?" Autumn raised her brow.

"Nothing…" Ruby chuckled.

"It's just a vibe I get from him. I mean he literally just appeared out of nowhere… saying my father planned this for his death… seriously.. for all purposes, my father was immortal. Why would he make plans for something that was unlikely to happen. It doesn't make sense."

"He thinks you are kind of spoiled." Ruby went to collect the order.

"Spoiled?!" Autumn snapped. "What a jerk… and I just bought him lunch." She scoffed. "I should poison it."

"I think that may make your problem worse. Also, he doesn't like Hans… but neither does your mom."

"What's not to like about Hans?" Autumn asked.

"I don't know that one. I like Hans… he's sooo handsome." Ruby emphasized the 'o's a little too much.

"Oh well… he better appreciate me not poisoning this." She took the extra bag. "Thanks Ruby."

"Of course. Bye Autumn." Autumn magicked to the pawnshop door and opened it and walked to the backroom.

"I brought lunch." She smiled to the three people. She handed the big bag to Dove and held the smaller bag for Chess.

"Its in a separate bag… you poisoned it." Chess looked her up and down.

"Did not." He reached for it, Autumn tugged it away. "I'm spoiled?"

"Yes, in the nicest way. But yes. May I please have my lunch?" Chess sighed as if Autumn stated the obvious. Autumn gave him the bag.

"Jerk." She muttered and sat on the desk in front of her mother. "Um… so. You don't like Hans?"

"What?" her mother looked up. "Well… it's not that I don't like him. He is just… he just kind pf came out of nowhere."

"And this jackass didn't?" she jabbed her thumb in Chess' direction.

"Spoiled." Chess sung.

"Chess is honoring his agreement with your father. It's just a royal growing up around royals thing. You learn to be a bit trepidations…" Belle put a hand on her daughter's. "I just don't want you to be hurt."

"Thank you mom. I get it, and thank you for being nice to him even though you aren't sure." Autumn smiled.

"Well of course. I give everyone the benefit of the doubt." Belle smiled.

"Plus, is he hurts you, your mother will send me for the boy." Dove smiled and Belle laughed,

"Don't be silly Dove… I'll do it myself." Belle's eye twinkled with both sincerity and mischief. The bell above the door jingled.

"Belle, Autumn?" It was Emma.

"We're back here." Belle answered, Autumn took a bite of her food. Emma, Charming and Snow all walked into the back room.

"Hey guys." Autumn waived. "What happened to you, Charming?" noticing his beaten up state.

"I… I was poisoned by something called night root,"

"That's hefty stuff. You 'right?" Chess asked, looking at Charming intently.

"Yes. Thank you." Charming looked back at Autumn a bit too seriously.

"What?"

"We found where the witch is hiding out." Charming said slowly.

"Belle…" Emma look said. "Autumn… don't freak out… and I can't stress that enough." Emma took something out of her pocket and gave it to Autumn who held it up.

"Is that?" Belle asked,

"Golden straw." Autumn whispered, she felt a lump in her throat that she struggled to swallow down. She stared at the golden strand.

"He's alive?" Chess stood up, Autumn just stared at the straw until it glowed red hot and melted in her hand.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, mid terms. Anyway! New Chapter!**

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Next thing anyone knew, Autumn was fuming down the sidewalk, causing all sorts of magical inconveniences as she went. A few poor people were subject to random patches of ice on the sidewalk, then there was a voice.

"Autumn, Autumn wait. Bloody hell." Autumn turned and saw Hans on an icey patch of sidewalk.

"Well…" he groaned getting up. "I may no longer be a Prince, but that was completely undignified."

"Erm… sorry." She sighed.

"What is wrong?" he asked, Autumn's lip began to tremble as she struggled to hold back tears. "The park is that way, I'm sure we won't be the center of main street gossip there." Autumn nodded, unable to speak as Hans draped his jacket over her shoulders.

"He's alive?!" Hans gasped, as he watched Autumn fix her make up in a compact.

"Yes and that witch is holding him in a cage in a storm cellar." Autumn slammed her fist into the table they found themselves at. "He's alive and I am going to help him. I need to help him. He would never…" her voice brome again and her tears started flowing once again. "I've already seen him in helpless in a cage before. I can't… I can't imagine it again." She took a deep breath and harden herself, "I am not that helpless little girl anymore."

"I didn't know you then." Hans started, "But I can't imagine you helpless. Ever."

"I'm going to go get him. You shouldn't stop me." She got up.

"How about I help you?" he grabbed her hand. "We can wait here, until it gets dark. We can get in there and out quickly."

"You… want to help me?"

"Your father maybe the Dark One… but he's done me no wrong." He paused and looked down at the picnic table. "And it would make you happy." He added softly.

"Why… why do you care about my happiness." She asked. Hans lifted himself up and walked around the table.

"Because… I care about you." Hans stepped closer and lowered his head. Autumn's breath caught, she knew what was coming next, but she didn't really know how to react. She had only read about these moments in books or watched them in movies. She didn't think they happened like this in real life. She just lifted her head and closed her eyes. The kiss was brief, but felt better than magic. Autumn opened her eyes and backed away quickly,

"I… I want to go save my father. Now."

"Then, let's go." Hans smiled. Autumn didn't know where exactly the farmhouse was, but she knew it was on the edge of town. It was getting dark when they reached the edge of the forest. A house came into view. They waiting because they saw the porch light flick on. A person left the house, but Autumn couldn't get a look at their face, she just assumed the person was a woman. She walked to a detached storm cellar and disappeared in it. "When she gets out, we'll ambush her." Hans whispered.

"That's too dangerous. When she goes inside the house, I'll sneak into the cellar and you keep watch."

"You are not going into a dark cellar alone."

"That is where you're right pretty boy." Hans and Autumn turned around and saw Chess standing there. Autumn went to cast a spell on his but Chess froze her. "Don't even think about it."

"Unhand her sir…" but Chess paused Hans' actions too.

"Oh spare me. You…" Chess turned to Autumn, who was still paralyzed. "Do you know how worried your mother is? Everyone? People are looking for you, you egomaniac." He send a text message, threw Autumn over his shoulder, and magicked away, leaving Hans in the forest. They reappeared in the Charming's apartment with the search party already there.

"Autumn… Oh god. Thank you Chess." Belle sighed, Chess paralyzed Autumn and tossed her from his shoulder to the ground.

"Of course, have fun with this one. She seems worse than her father."

"Seriously?! You left Hans out there…"

"Prince Pinnacle will be just fine." Chess scoffed.

"I was just fine!" Autumn growled.

"No! You were about to go gun ho to this witch, and you would have lost."

"You don't know that. Dad could be here right now if you hadn't stopped me."

"If I hadn't stopped you…" Chess stepped closer, "Do you think your father is there on holiday? She has his dagger, somehow in some way she has his dagger and she is holding him there. He would have killed you. He would have felt awful about it, but he would have no choice and no chance of fighting it."

"I didn't think of…"

"Of course you didn't. I know about your 'heroic adventures'," he emphasized his sarcasm with air quotes. "You were lucky the pirate was there when that woman got in your house. You were lucky that Dove had that jacket made and he had you put it on. You were lucky that someone found you in the forest before an ogre did. You were lucky that you ran into Charming in Neverland."

"Okay Chess… she understands." Belle intervened.

"She infuriates me and I still can't figure out why." Chess said taking a step back.

"Take a deep breath, she's here now." Regina nodded at him.

"Yes. But this is self-preservation here. I had a deal with Gold and you and I both know the dangers of failing at a bargain once struck." Chess looked at her. "Especially since he's alive."

"Yeah… I understand not wanting to cross that bridge." Regina rolled her eyes in understanding.

"Grow up and think things through, princess." Chess looked her up and down. "because a locked up princess with luck does not a hero make." He nodded at Belle and looked at him and smiled, he took a deep breath and left the room.

"I've never seen him do that before. That was slightly entertaining, we should threaten his life more often." Regina chuckled, Autumn just continued feeling three inches tall.

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**I think Autumn just got her first real kiss! (Waits for the Hans haters and chuckles cuz now I'M the author!)**

**AND Chess just showed his claws... he doesn't like Autumn doing stupid stuff... because he has made a deal with Gold, there was his first mistake. Haha**

**Hope you all enjoyed!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! New Chapter time!**

* * *

Autumn was sitting on the desk in the back room of the shop, Hook and her mother were looking for ways that her father could be alive. Autumn was sulking from the telling off she had gotten the evening before,

"Love, I think the best thing you could probably do to show the young man up is stop pouting and help us." Hook told her.

"I'm not pouting." Autumn scoffed, sliding herself off the desk. "I just don't see how that guy can walk into my town and tell me what I can do in it."

"He didn't. He walked into your father's town and did exactly what your father told him to do." Belle said snapping a book shut.

"I can't believe you agree with what he said to me."

"Of course I agree! What you did was stupid and…" there was a loud bang at the back door, which caused everyone to jump. Hook took out his gun out and Autumn was at the ready. Another bang and the backdoor broke open. "Oh my god Neal!" Belle gasped. She rant him as he collapsed on the shop's floor. "Autumn call and ambulance." Autumn was already on the phone.

"Yes. We need an ambulance at Mr. Gold's shop. Hurry." She hung up the phone and dialed Emma.

"Autumn?"

"Meet me at the hospital. You're… you're going to want to see this." Autumn said.

"Ok.." and Autumn hung up. She climbed into the emergency vehicle and held her brother's hand as they sped away. The short distance from her father's shop and the hospital was too long for Autumn, she wanted her brother taken care of now. Neal was wheeled in and Autumn followed closely behind.

"Autumn. You should stay out here…" Dr. Whale said.

"_Excuse me_?" Autumn snapped and Whale let her in as he examined her brother. He groaned and opened his eyes.

"Where am I?"

"Neal! You're in the Storybrook hospital." Whale told him.

"Neal. It's okay. I'm right here." Autumn held his hand.

"Who… Autumn?" and he passed back out.

"Neal… brother. Wake up. Whale…" Autumn turned to the doctor. "Fix him!"

"He's fine. Just exhausted and a little dehydrated." Whale said after a few minutes of basic testing. "We'll IV him fluids and he'll be fine." After a few minutes, Neal woke up again.

"Hey big bro." Autumn smiled, taking his hand.

"Autumn? What happened to you?" he chuckled.

"Oh you know… curses and the usual."  
"So you have no idea?" he asked.

"No brother, I do not." They laughed together and Autumn hugged him. "I've been looking for you." She whispered to him.

"Autumn, what did you need me to see.." Emma trailed off. "Neal."

"Surprise!" Autumn chuckled.

"Where… how… hi." Emma stumbled on her words.

"I don't know. I just woke up in the forest." Neal said.

"You have no memory? Of anything." Autumn asked.

"No." he shook his head. "I remember Emma and Henry leaving. And Dad…" he trailed off.

"Neal… Daddy is alive." Autumn smiled at him.

"What? How?" he was confused.

"I don't know how… but the Wicked Witch has him. She's controlling him." Emma said. Neal immediately began to take off the censors and trying to rip the IV from his arm.

"Neal don't." Autumn started. "Emma and I have this."

"She's right Neal. Relax." Emma told him, "And Autumn, you can't come." She added quickly and left.

"What?!" Autumn screeched, going after the blonde. "What do you mean I can't come?"

"You need to stay with your brother." Emma told her. "I'll go save your Dad."

"Emma. He has all his magic and no control of himself. You don't know what he is capable of. He'll kill you Emma."

"I'm the savior." Emma smiled and left. Autumn sighed and went back in the hospital room.

"She left?" Neal asked.

"Yep."

"After you said the truth that makes complete sense, but she's too independent to listen?"

"Its like you've read this book before." Autumn rolled her eyes, Neal chuckled. "Want something pther than hospital food?"

"I wouldn't say no to peanut butter waffles." Neal looked at his hospital jello sadly.

"I'll go get it. But please… stay here? If you leave, I'll get blamed." Autumn pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I'll be right here."

"Then I'll be right back." Autumn walked the short distance to Granny's and saw Henry sitting in a booth. She ordered and sat with him, he was holding a gaming system and didn't look up when Autumn saw. "Hey."

"Why are you upset?" Henry asked, still not looking up.

"I'm not upset." Autumn sighed.

"And I'm a dancing penguin." Henry snarked.

"I remember when you were much less of a smart ass." Autumn glared.

"I don't remember you at all." He smirked, but Autumn didn't laugh. So he turned off the game and looked at her. "So what's got you upset?"

"It's complicated. But let's leave it to your mom won't let me help. It's about my Dad and brother. And your mother said I can't help. Like I'm the little girl I used to be." Autumn scoffed. "I'm not the same person I was when she left."

"That sounds like my mom. She gets an idea of how things are going to work, and she just does it. She kind of takes over." Henry shrugged,

"Right?!" She scoffed again, "It's maddening." Ruby sat the two to-go containers and Autumn opened one of them.

"Peanut butter waffles… I want some." Henry said. "I mean," he started as he filled his mouth. "She's usually right about these things. But you don't seem like the type of person who just lets someone walk in and take over anyway. My mom or not, like you said before, this is your town."

"You're right." Autumn said after a moment, and as if called, Hook walked into the diner.

"Aye, lass what are you doing here?"

"I was ordering food for Neal. Which you are now going to deliver to him." Autumn got up from the booth smiling, handing the other container to the pirate.

"Can't love. I get to watch the boy."

"Do both."

"Autumn…" Hook warned.

"Seriously… why does everyone listen to Emma over me? It's my town!" Autumn smacked the table. "Who are you more afraid of, really?" she asked the pirate, who just stood there, mouth a gape.

"I'd choose her, personally." Henry said from behind. "Mom is only scary when you lie to her."

"Listen to the boy, Hook." She kissed Henry's head and let him keep her waffles. "The very right, and very smart boy." She clapped Hook on the shoulder as she swaggered out of the diner.

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**Build up chapter, I know. But I still hope you guys enjoys**!


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi everyone! Welp, finals are over and it's summertime! YAY more constant updates! :D I hope you all enjoy this one... Prepare for a little bit of feels.**

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She magicked to where she felt Emma was and was shocked when it actually worked.

"Autumn, what are you doing out here?" Emma asked.

"I talked to Henry and he had a very valid point. If I want people to take me running this town seriously, I should run the town. And running the town means I don't ask permission. So if I want to go look for my father, I am going to go look for my damn father." Autumn said, walking along side the blonde.

"I swear, without his memories, he is more like your side of the family." Emma gruffed.

"He had to survive in the real world, somewhere he really doesn't belong." Autumn smiled. "It was probably for the best."

"No, it makes him too smart and it gets in my way. Obviously." Emma gestured at Autumn.

"I do NOT get in the way." Autumn glared. There was a rustle in the distance and the two woman came across her father on the ground. "Daddy." Autumn ran and slid in the mud, tearing up her tights and mud soaking into her skirt, but she didn't care.

"Gold? Gold?" Emma felt for a pulse. "He's alive."

'Of course he's alive." Autumn snapped. "Daddy. Please wake up." Gold groaned and opened his eyes.

"Autumn?" he said softly.

"Dad. It's okay. I am here. You're safe now." she smiled.

"No... NO you're not safe." he bolted up, knocking both Autumn and Emma back. "Not from me." he whispered, "No room." and ran deeper into the forest.

"Daddy! Come back!" Autumn yelled, her and Emma got up and went after him. "He was never this fast when he had a limp." she muttered, trying to not let her heels sink into the ground.

"I told you not to come." Emma panted. There was a noise in the distance and the two ran full force towards it. They stopped when Emma painfully collided with a figure, Neal.

"Ugh!" they both groaned.

"Neal! What are you dong out here?" Autumn asked helping Emma up.

"What are you doing out here, Ms. 'I'll be right back'?"

"Like I was going to let Emma look for Dad alone." Autumn scoffed at her older brother.

"That's what I am doing out here." Neal looked at her.

"You two are definitely related... and you're both a huge pain!" Emma huffed as they walked on.

"Any luck finding him?" Neal asked.

"We saw him for a second. He was laying on the ground unconscious and then when he woke up he said something about me not being safe and that there was no room and he ran off." Autumn said. Neal gave he a confused look. "I know. I don't know what it meant either..." there was a pause and Autumn felt an awkard tension between Emma and Neal. "I'm glad you;re okay brother."

"Yeah, where were you?" Emma asked.

"I don't know. The last thing I remember was watching you guys drive away then I just woke up in the middle of the forest and ran for town." Neal looked at Emma. "So... I hear you were in New York. How'd you like it?"  
"It was good... normal. Things in my life were normal for once... you know?" Emma smiled. "I mean a week ago I was eating pop tarts and playing video games, and now I am looking for Rmplestiltskin who is running away from the Wicked Witch of the West."

" I get that, but didn't it get lonely?" Neal asked, Autumn stayed blissfully silent, loing that she was present for this conversation.

"Well Henry had a whole bunch of friends at school and I was.. kind of with someone.." Emma paused. "Sorry."

"Why? You didn't even remember me. Nah..v don't be sorry." Neal suffed his hands in his pockets. "Was it serious?"

"He proposed." Emma sucked her teeth. "Then he turned into a flying monkey. Sooo..." Neal chuckled. "Yeah, yeah laugh it up."

"Hey, no judgements from me. I was dating an magic hating minion of my evil grandfather..." Autumn couldn't help but giggle out loud. "Wait until you start dating!" he nudged her playfully.

"She already is!" Emma ratted her out.

"What?!"  
"Oh my god Em, shut up." Autumn gritted her teeth.

"Who?" Neal pushed.

"No one." Autumn denied.

"A _Prince_." Emma was making it worse.  
"A prince?" Neal looke at Emma.

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles... whereever that is." Emma mumbled the last part.

"What was he doing in the Enchanted Forest? That was a bit far from his Kingdom, aren't the Southern Isles passed Arendelle?"

"He was bringing aid when we returned." Autumn shrugged. "And he's not my boyfriend."

"Well... Boyfriend or not. I am just glad you're happy. But I should have a talk with him." Neal teased.

"You will do no such thing... jerk hole!" she playfully punched him.

"Of course I will... I gotta make sure my little sister finds Talahassee." Neal smirked at Emma.

"I am supposed to find Florida?" Autumn lifted an eye brow.

"We.. were going to settle in Talahassee." Emma said shyly.

"That is the most sickenly sweet thing I have every heard and I live in a town with fairytale characters." Autumn laughed.

"And you're dating a prince." Neal jabbed. Autumn glared.

"Yeah, I heard you guys locked lips... Princess Kissy Face." Emma teased.

"I will hit you all the way back to New York, I swear on everything." Autumn threatened.

"Then you'll be facing the Witch alone... savior-less." Emma laughed, then got a phone call. "Yeah.. Hey Belle, did you find anything?" Emma put it on speaker phone. "And also, your child and step ish child both came out here when I told them not to."

"We'll... you couldn't really expect any less, I mean they were't just going to sit around while you were looking for their father. They're just as stubborn as he is." Belle said with a lighthearted sigh.

"Thanks mom." Autumn giggled, "What's up? What were you looking for?"

"There is a symbol found on Neal's hand. But Emma, I only found out what it was, but I don't know what it means or how he could have gotten it." Belle said honestly. "I have bee looking through all of the books here at the shop."

"What symbol?" Autumn looked at Emma and Neal, who showed her his right palm. "How did I miss that?" then she really looked at it and went quiet, she knew what it was but didn't believe it.

"I took a picture and sent it to your mom. I came back to Neal when you went off to Granny's." Emma said. "What?" she added slowly to Autumn's look.

"Mom... What exactly did you find?" Autumn asked.

"It's the mark of the vault of the dark one. Neal must have opened it to ressurect your Dad, but I don't exactly know how." Autumn bit her lip harder when her mom spoke.

"What is it Autumn?" Neal asked and Autumn looked him in the eye.

"I know the symbol, mom is right. But... Well, if you opened that vault then you shouldn't be here. It's a one for one trade. A life for a life Neal. Since Dad is alive..."

"I should be... AH." Neal doubled to the ground in pain.

"Dead." Emma whispered.

"Wait. Neal... No, no no..." Autumn muttered then Neal looked up and it wasn't his own face... it was her father's. "Uh... Emma..."

"What the hell..." Emma muttered.

"UH! I can hear him in my head... My father." Neal said as his face shifted back to his own.

"He must have done something to save your life." Autumn said.

"That's what he meant by 'no room'." Emma said.

"You have to split us." Neal said grunting in pain.

"What?! No way. This maybe.. creepy but it's saving your life." Autumn protested. "I'll find another way to keep you both alive, trust me."

"You sound like dad." Neal chuckled. "You guys need Dad more than you need me. He needs to tell you who the witch is. Emma... separate us."  
"I.. I can't do that. I've never done anything like this before." Emma's voie cracked. "Plus.. you haven't had the chance to see Henry." that caused a lump to form in Autunm's throat.

"It's okay. Do it Emma. I believe in you." he smiled.

"Neal. I can find something... to fix this. To fix you both. Please, don't." Autumn choked. "I need my big brother."

"No you don't. You need Dad, he's the only one who can tell you what you need to know. Autumn... it has to be Emma who splits us. I don't want you to have to choose between me or Dad." Autumn was crying when Emma put both of her hands in Neal's and with a pulse of light, seperated father from son. Neal fully collapsed on the ground as Gold looked at his hands then at his crumbled son.

"What did you do?" Gold snapped at Emma.

"Don't Papa.. I told her to. You... You need to help them. Tell them who the witch is, and save the town... Autumn needs you." Neal looked over at a shaking and crying Autumn.

"Autumn... Love." Gold realized his daughter's presence.

"Neal." she held her brother's hand. "Daddy he's dying. Do something!" she cried. Gold took hold of Autumn, lifted her to his arms.

"Love.. there's.. there isn't anything I can do." he whispered to her and she felt him cry in her hair. Autumn could hear Neal and Emma talking, the normally fierce blonde was begging for Neal to live. Autumn let out a long sob when she heard Neal telling Emma to tell Henry that in the end, he was a good father. Gold took his son's hand and kissed it.

"I am so sorry son." Gold cried.

"It's okay Papa... you taught me what true sacrafice was... I love you Papa..." Neal's voice was too soft to hear anymore, and with a whisper to Emma, he died.

"NO! Neal!" Autumn sobbed. "Papa! Fix him!" but her father only held her and cried with her. She felt his head leave her shoulder.

"It's Zelena." he all but growled.

"What?" Emma asked.

"Zelena is the witch."  
"What does she want?" Emma was shocked.

"What she doesn't have." Gold said. Autumn looked at her dead brother's glossed eyes and she felt something snap in her. Emma called David to meet them at the apartment but Autumn was fast and magicked them.

"Autumn, we need to have a plan-" Emma said when she saw they were at the apartment door. Autumn burst through the door and Emma pulled out her gun.

"Emma. Autumn? What's going on?" Snow jumped.

"Where is Zelena?" Emma looked at her mother, assessing if she was okay or not.

"In the bathroom, why?" Snow was very confused. Autumn blasted opened the two doors to the bathroom and saw it empty, but the window was open. Charming made it to apartment.

"Snow, are you okay?" he asked.

"What is going on?"

"Zelena is the witch." Autumn said lowly. "She is the reason my brother is dead and my father is being caged like an animal." she turned to the Charmings.

"Neals dead? Autumn.. sweetie..." Snow went to hug her but Autumn stopped her, and just glared at Emma.

"We need to find her." and Emma looked in her eyes knew what Autumn would do if she got her hands on Zelena.

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**I hope you guys loved it! I'll update again sooon I promise! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! New Chapter time! :D :D :D**

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Autumn walked into the shop where Hook and her mother were, Snow and Charming were standing on either side of her. The whole car ride, Snow watched Autumn, unsure of what the girl would do next. Autumn kept staring blankly ahead.

"Autumn..." Belle looked at her daughter. "What happened?" she immediately knew something was very wrong.

"Lass?" Hook was concerned as well. Autumn began to breath heavily and the air got colder. Tears finally escaped and Autumn broke.

"He's dead. He's dead and I feel like I can't breathe or think and all I want is to make Zelena feel the pain that I feel." the girl panted, voice breaking with sorrow but dripping in venom that shocked everyone but Belle. The brunette walked over to her daughter and pulled her into a tight hug and Autumn began to sob. Snow joined and they just stayed like that for a few minutes. "She killed my brother Mom. I loved Neal and she killed him... and she still has Daddy."

"Hush... shhh.." Belle lulled her.

"Am I making it snow?" Autumn cried.

"We all have jackets on. You just cry dearest." Belle whispered.

"I hate feeling this way."

"As long as you're still feeling." Belle stroked her daughter's hair.

The next morning Autumn found herself exhausted and standing at the edge of hole that was her brother's final resting place. She was standing in her black suit alone with dark sunglasses on to hide the bags under her eyes that showed that she had been up all night crying. Her mother, Dove, and Chess took shifts looking after her, Hans was standing behind her. He was respecting her wish for distance to mourn but caring enough to still be in the vicinity when and if she needed him. Henry walked up and stood beside her.

"I'm sorry." he whispered. "I really am. I didn't know him, but I know he didn't deserve this."

"He didn't." She spoke softly. "He wasn't perfect Henry, but when he knew about you, he loved you. I hope you know that."

"I've heard. He may be gone... but with my mom being an orphan... having some extended family would be nice." he slipped his hand in hers, and she looked at the boy. He was gaining on her in height.

"You are going to be taller than I am... I hate that." she sniffed.

"I'll slouch when I am around you." he smiled back. "Do I call you Aunt?"

"Do I look like an Aunt? That makes me seem old." Autumn scoffed.

"Aunty A." he quipped quietly, Autumn smirked at the fact that they were telling jokes at a funeral, but Neal would hate having everyone feeling sorry for him.

"I'll bury you in this hole boy."

"My mom will come and find me." Henry responded.

"Ain't no one going to find you." Autumn breathed a laugh and so did Henry, they hugged each other, and for a moment, it was if she had her best friend back. They broke apart when Belle told Autumn that it was her turn to toss dirt on the grave. Autumn swallowed hard and Henry gave her hand a hard squeeze. Autumn tossed the dirt and her stomach churned when it hit the casket with an undignified thump.

Everyone went back to the diner after, Autumn was staring at the cup of tea that was given to her. Henry was sitting in the booth next to her, watching her curiously.

"Autumn?" he asked.

"Mmm?"

"You haven't said a word in like over an hour." he looked at her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." she said simply. She knew she still had to hide magic from Henry, and she knew that if she began talking about how she felt she would at minimum cause it to snow inside. She kept staring at her mug, biting her lip to bite back the tears. She lost her brother, she couldn't even be herself with her best friend, and her father was being held captive by a pompous witch. Emma came over and told Henry something. He gave Autumn a sad look and walked away, Emma taking his place.

"Hey kid."

"Not a kid anymore." Autumn noticed that steam was no longer rising from her mug, she put it to her lips and noticed that the tea was frozen solid.

"You'll always be kid to me. I can't believe I have to tell both you and Henry that." Emma looked at her. "How are you feeling?" Autumn slid the mug over to Emma's side of the table.

"That give you a clue?"

"I understand. I want to hurt her to." Emma glared.

"I don't want to hurt her." Autumn met Emma's gaze. "I will hurt her. And it will be bloody and brutal. She wants to mess with the Gold family, she'll deal with the consequences." Emma flashed a smile and went and got a drink. Autumn watched Hook leave with Henry while Emma threw darts viciously. Belle joined Autumn with another cup of tea. "I hurt."

"I know darling. I wish I could make the hurt go away." then the bell on the door jingled and Zelena walked in.

"Sorry I missed the funeral... but I so do love a wake." She smiled. "Have we all went around the room talking about the deceased? Shall I start? Since," the witch giggled "I am the reason why we're all here." Zelena walked closer to Snow, and Charming stepped in front of her protectively. "Oh don't worry.. I'm not here for your baby, today." Autumn slowly clenched her fist, and went to get up, but Belle reached out and tugged her back into her seat by the collar.

"Don't." Belle hissed. "She hasn't noticed you."

"She's about to notice." Autumn growled.

"You will either sit here like a dignified Gold, or I will have Dove come hold you down. Either scenario, I will get my way. Now make your choice." Belle sized up her daughter, Autumn sighed and sat quietly, noticing Zelena's attention was on Regina.

"Meet me on main street say, sundown?" Zelena told the former queen.

"This isn't the wild west." Regina rolled her eyes.

"No sis, it's the wicked west." Zelena turned to the crowd in the diner. "And I want all of you to be there, to witness the fall of the evil queen." and as Zelena left she lingered a look to Autumn and Hans stepped next to Autumn protectively, she had honestly forgotten the prince was there. Once the threat had left, any other conversation was drowned out by the two Gold women.

"I could have had her." Autumn said to her mother.

"You would have been hurt." Belle said honestly.

"I would not have! How could you say that?" Autumn argued. "It's like you don't even care she has Dad." and she immediately knew she went to far, and the rest of diner knew as well. Belle's hand slapped down on the table, hard.

"You obviously don't understand what is going on here." Belle snapped. "She killed your brother for no other reason except that he was your brother and your father's son! Do you understand that?" Belle took a deep breath to calm herself, this was the harshest Belle had every spoken to her daughter. "You may have gotten taller, but you have a hell of a lot of growing up to do. She will kill you without a second thought." Belle sighed and got up from the table. The diner was watching the exchange.

"You can't expect me to just sit back and do nothing." Autumn argued.

"Keeping yourself alive isn't doing nothing. The only way your father is going to beat this is giving him something to fight for. If he loses you too... he won't fight. Why would he fight? He would have lost his son and his daughter. I wouldn't fight either." Belle explained. "I love you my dearest, but you are as stubborn as your father. And that makes you, like your father, more likely to make stupid decisions." she kissed her head. Autumn sighed.

"Autumn." Hans put his hands on her shoulders. "How about we go get some ice cream.. or watch a movie?" he smiled. Autumn looked at her mother then Hans.

"Emma.. Where'd Henry and Hook go?"

"Sailing..." Emma said. Autumn nodded her head. "Autumn, how did you know that Zelena was Regina's sister?"

"Well.. There was that story, but mostly because of the blood seal. There is no one alive in this town who could have gotten into that office."

"I just... I need to check this out for myself." Regina said, getting up from her diner stool. Autumn turned to Hans.

"I... I think I am going to go sailing." she smiled apologetically.

"I understand." Hans kissed her hand. "Take all the time you need."

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**Alright Alright, I know it was kind of filler... but they can't all be gold. At least there was a little inappropriate fun at a funeral... sooo... I get a little brownie points right? **


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys! New Chapter, YAY! Anyways, heads up a slight filler chapter but it's cute! Well cute ish, anyway ENJOY!**

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Autumn magicked to the docks and saw Henry and Hook on a boat about to leave.  
"Wait!" she shouted as she ran in her heels down the strip. "Wait! I want to come with you!" she got to the end of the dock, but they had already untied the boat and it was casting off. It was not too far out, so Autumn backed up, picked up the pace and jumped. She grabbed a rope and Hook got her shoulder and dragged her over the railing.

"Lass..." Hook laughed.

"I can't believe I made that... and in heels." Autumn panted.

"That was pretty awesome." Henry said, laughing.

"I know I am." Autumn winked at him. "Sorry for crashing... I just couldn't stand the looks of pity anymore."

"Well... welcome aboard. I was just telling Henry about how his father loved to sail." Hook smiled.

"Yeah... he did. He told me a little bit about how much fun he had with you." Autumn laughed.

"Did you two sail together?" Henry asked.

"We did once.. but... well... he wasn't always around. See I am... was," she corrected herself. "younger. We have different mothers and dad and him didn't really see eye to eye for a long time. I didn't get to spend as much time with him as I would have wanted." she cleared her throat and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "I feel like I didn't really get to know him."

"Sorry." Henry said, looking at his shoes.

"Don't be." she smiled. "Anyway, where we going Captain Handsome?"

"You think I'm handsome, love?" Hook asked.

"Devilishly. Then you open your mouth, that's really your only flaw." She teased.

"Ah there it is, I knew you were being too nice to me." he laughed. It felt good to Autumn that Hook was playing along with her. She knew he must be hurting as much as she was, and they both needed something to take the hurt away. "We are just heading to a little sand bar out there," he pointed. "I brought some sandwiches and we can sail around a bit."

"Sounds lovely." Autumn asked.

"So, they're still finishing up the wake?" Henry asked.

"Yeah, and if I hear one more bull shit attempt at sympathy for me I swear to god I am going to scream. I mean lets face it, besides your mom, Hook over there and the charming couple, no one in this town actually cares what happens to me or my family."

"I think the mayor Regina seems to care a little." Henry pipped up. "She's weird, but she seems really nice." Autumn let out a little puff of a laugh.

"You should give Regina a bit more credit, love." Hook eyed her.

"I know... I should." Autumn sighed. "Anyway! I think it's time to see how fast Henry can push this thing!" they spent the day sailing, and Autumn noticed that Henry asked little questions about Neal and more questions about her and Hook. They did not get back in until it was about sunset and Hook walked Henry up to his room and Autumn put a spell over the door.

"What was that for?"

"Regina and her sister Zelena plan to fight it out and we don't need him seeing or getting involved. He's going to sit on his bed and find himself really tired. He did have a full day with us anyway." they left the inn an saw that everyone was making precautions for what might be to come. Emma ran up to them.

"We found evidence that you were right Autumn. She is Regina's sister." she turned to Hook. "Where's Henry?"

"He's in his bed." Hook said.

"I put a ward on the room and he'll sleep right through whatever is happening here. Don't worry, he's safe." Autumn smiled.

"I didn't know you were any good at wards.." Emma said.

"Well... I have to at least try to protect what's left of my..." she trailed of as Zelena approached, with her father tagging behind like some pup on a leash. She went to take a step but was held back, when she turned her mother was holding tightly on her arm. Belle shook her head and pulled her back and positioned her in the second row of the crowd that was building, making sure Autumn blended in. Autumn sighed as her mother pushed her behind Hook and Charming, she wasn't very happy hiding from Zelena, but she felt worse hiding from her own father. "And now I am hiding."

"For your own good." Charming said.

"Pfft.." Autumn huffed.

"Just let Regina fight her sister, we just sit back and watch." Hook said. "And make sure it doesn't spill into the crowd." then there was a crash and a gasp rippled through the crowd. The town clock was shattered and Zelena was laughing. Emma and Snow went for the library and Zelana went for Regina too. Autumn took the chance and slipped from the crowd towards her father now that he was alone.

"Autumn..." She heard Belle's voice behind her. "Get back here."

"Autumn..." Gold whispered.

"Hi Daddy." she smiled.

"Autumn. Listen to your mother."

"I will in a minute." Autumn told him.

"Autumn, please." he begged. "I was told to kill anyone out of line."

"Okay." she walked closer.  
"Love... please... don't make me." he whimpered.

"I'll be fine, Papa. You won't hurt me.. you can't." Autumn smiled and when she was close enough to hug him she did. He was stiff and shaking, and she could feel that he was fighting Zelena's orders and she could feel his strength fading. She kissed his cheek and turned around to go back into the crowd, she sniffled as she felt tears forming.

"Your mother said that to me." he said. Autumn looked over she shoulder and smiled.

"I know." and she kept walking.

"Autumn. I love you... and I am so sorry..." she heard her father say. She turned around and saw a wave of magic coming for her.

"Autumn, no!" her mother shouted, but Autumn took a deep breath and with a grunt she stopped the magic and in the process her father was blown back and he skipped down main street until he landed unconscious with a thud.

"I'm sorry Papa." Autumn checked to see if he just only unconscious and then she went to the tower above the library and saw Emma and Snow helping Regina. "You okay Mayor?"

"Yeah. I think so." Regina said. "I was at least smart enough not to bring my heart to a fight."

"Why does she want your heart?" Emma asked.

"I don't know." Regina said. They helped her down and Gold was still in the street. "Is that Gold?"  
"He's unconscious, but I am sure he'll go with Zelena to help lick her wounds when he wakes up." Autumn said, then she noticed he disappeared in a puff of green smoke.

"Autumn.. I can't... How did you even stop that?" Charming asked her.

"She's her father's daughter." Belle said.

"With your stubborness." She hugged her mom. "I'm sorry." she whispered, then she looked around. "Where's Hans?"

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**Hey guys, thank you for reading! **


	12. Chapter 12

**NEW CHAPTER TIME! Sooo warning, I kind of smushed two episodes together, because the next chapter this leads up into is going to be long... BUT anyway! ENJOY!**

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"I hope Dad's okay..." Autumn said, looking out of the window of the shop.

"I know your father, he is fine. You didn't hurt him little missus. Come eat breakfast." Dove touched her shoulder and steered her to the waffles on the desk in the back room, her mother, Dove and herself spent the night in the shop, because it offered the most safety.

"Muscles is right, he is probably half proud and half embarrassed that he got his ass whopped by his daughter." Chess laughed.

"Although Chess' point was made vulgarly, I agree with him." Hans told her. "I am sorry I missed it."

"She skipped the dark one like a flat stone on a calm lake." Chess chuckled, Autumn shook her head, this was the first time in a couple of days that she had to deal with Chess' brand of annoyance, but she was glad that he was on his best behavior. Well as best as Chess could be. He was giving Autumn her space and a little slack since Neal's death and she secretly thanked him for it, even though she would never say that outloud.

"Where were you last night anyway Hans?" Autumn asked.

"Charming wanted me to warn people to stay inside their homes." Hans said.

"WAIT! They let you help?"Autumn glared. "I've saved their sorry asses and I can't help, but they let you help? Honestly?" Autumn huffed, then the bell on the door jingled and Regina and Emma came in.

"Hey Autumn, where's your mom?" Emma asked.

"She's at the library... But you let HIM help?" Autumn pointed to Hans. "No offense dearest..." she asided to him. "But REALLY?"  
"Told you... terrible decision." Chess added, Autumn looked back at him and he gave her a smile and a thumbs up. "I was on your side." he smiled.

"Even the alley cat told you not to, and you did?" Autumn scoffed.

"You weren't in the mindset to help." Regina said.

"What do you mean..."

"You were being a petulant child." Regina affirmed and Autumn closed her mouth. Chess let off a small 'ooohhh' in the background and Autumn glared at him. "We need some of your father's books."

"What for?" Dove asked.

"She's teaching me magic... so we can stop Zelena." Emma said.

"No." Chess flatly said.

"No?" Regina stepped up to Chess. "I see a cat who needs to take a snipping trip to the vet." Chess laughed.

"Honey. I went round and round with your mother, and I did just fine. Then I went and bugged Rumple endlessly... you don't scare me." he leaned in a bit closer. "But nice try though."

"This isn't your decision.. it's Autumn's." Regina said.

"Noo... actually it's not. It's mine." Chess smiled and presented a scroll and cleared his throat. "IN the event of my, Rumplestiltskin's, passing or any other inability, the signature Cheshire Cat, will be incharge of the protection of my daughter, Rosalynn blah blah blah, alllllll my uncollected debts be collected by signature, and the upkeep, preservation and protection of all trophies and books will be in the charge of the signature provided they will stay in the library for the Princess' use and education." Chess lifted his eye brow and turned the scroll. "It's signed in blood."

"He... actually sent you?" Autumn asked. "Why haven't you showed me this before now?"

"I like to mess with people." he turned back to Emma. "Savior... all the books contain dark magic. They can't help you, your magic is light. They will do you more harm than good... and you." he turned to Regina. "Don't ever try to step on my territory again. This.." he held up the paper. "Is my duty to an old friend. I don't OWE this to Rumple. I signed this to help him and need be to help that not so little girl. This was right after he lost Belle... after YOU took Belle. He needed something, he hired muscles to protect her while he was away but I am to protect her when he can't. And I will. Exposing the savior to too dark of magic is dangerous to us all. Don't cross me again." Chess was serious and spoke darkly, Autumn saw his usual playful sparkle, it was a dark glow. "Good luck Emma." he smiled. "If you need extra stuff, I can see if you can shapeshift... and what your animal is." he shifted and in a puff of smoke he was a stripped purple cat on the table, Emma's eyes were wide. "I know our Queen is a rat." the cat spoke.

"That's different." Emma said, Han's eyes were wide as well.

"Show off." Autumn muttered.

"Have fun ladies." Chess waived his paw.

"I shouldn't even ask should I?" Emma lifted her eyebrows and Regina rolled her eyes and left.

"I guess I am left to hang out with Henry aren't I?" Autumn yelled after the women and then sighed.

"This may not be the best time..." Hans spoke up.

"Probably not, but you're going to keep talking anyway." Chess rolled his eyes, and Dove let out a soft chuckle.

"Whatever Hans needs to say is probably let idiotic than the drabble that I put up with from you." Autumn smiled at Chess.

"Ooohh. Shaking Princess, how monosyllabic." Chess teased back.

"I wanted to make sure you understood, I hate having to repeat myself to you." Autumn felt herself smiling at the banter.

"Umm..." Hans cleared his throat. "I was wondering if this afternoon if you would allow me to take you on a date. Because I really enjoy your company and it seems you need a distraction from everything that is going on and I am told 'dating' is how courtship works in this world." Autumn's mouth hung open slightly and she felt herself grow hot. Both Chess and Dove were staring at her as she locked eyes with Hans.

"Why... yes.. I would like that." Autumn smiled. "A lot." she smiled. "Ermm.. I was going to check on Henry and Hook... but.. I mean.. What time should I be ready?"

"I was thinking about noon?" Hans smiled. "In the park?"

"Yes.. sure. Alright." Autumn blushed and disappeared to the alley behind Granny's and walked in with a smile on her face. Hook and Henry were playing dice at a table, she saw Henry groan and Hook take one of his french fries. "Hello boys." she beamed.

"Ahh.. why is the town Princess practically glowing today?" Hook asked.

"Watch it..." she sat next to Henry. "I have a date this afternoon."

"Our little lass is growing up..." Hook teases and Henry rolled the dice and Hook laughed as he took another french fry. "Do you want to know the secret to winning?'

"Practice?" Henry sighed.

"He's using loaded dice." Autumn showed him.

"That's cheating." Henry looked at Hook.

"But yet your fries are almost gone, little nephew." she nudged him. "People need to be outsmarted." she shrugged.

"Your father teach you that, love?" Hook eyed her, before she could answer Snow and Charming came in with the mermaid Ariel, from Neverland.

"Hey. Killian..." Snow waived him over and Hook got up.

"I wonder what that's about." Henry asked.

"Not sure..." Autumn stared and noticed Hook's face as he walked back to the table. "Why did you lie to them?"

"I didn't lie..." Hook said then he stopped when Charming came into ear shot.

"Killian, go help Ariel, Snow and I will take Henry today." Charming said.

"Well.. you are about to to have a fun filled day..." Autumn's voice was dripping in sarcasm.

"What do you mean by that?" Charming asked offended.

"I've been... watched by you two before..." Autumn looked at Henry. "The library was my favorite part." Henry looked bored already.

"Well... I was going to teach Henry to drive today." Charming said quickly.

"What?" Autumn said quickly.

"Awesome!" Henry jumped out of his seat. "See you later Aunt Autumn. Love ya!" then he paused. "Sorry..." he said softly, Autumn smiled.  
"Love you too kid." she smiled and watched the two leave. She went home and stood in front of her mirror and soon the contents of her closet were on the floor.

"Autumn..." Belle came into the room. "Oh..." she chuckled.

"Nothing I have is right... I literally have nothing to wear." Autumn sighed.

"I heard... your first date." Belle nudged her. "It's good your father isn't here."

"Yeah... he would probably turn Hans into a bug..." Autumn muttered, collapsing on her bed.

"That's ridiculous." Belle sat down gracefully. "Snails are his specialty." they both laughed. "From what I hear, it is just a walk in the park. How about your white coat, with the blue dress underneath... then your red booties for pop."

"I don't have red booties." Autumn sat up and saw her mother holding a shoe box.

"Here, use mine." Belle smiled.

"Really? You're letting me borrow them?"

"No. I'm letting you have them. I am a bit too old for pop, don't you think?" Belle winked.

"Mama, you are so not old." they chuckled.

"Wing your eye liner. It looks so wonderful on you. And..." Belle kissed her cheek. "Have fun." Autumn got up and got dressed. She looked at the clock and noticed she was going to be late, so she put on some make up and magicked to the park. She found Hans quickly and he smiled.

"You look magnificent." Hans held up a picnic basket. "I thought we would start simple."

"Did you order from Granny's?" Autumn chuckled.  
"And put it in a basket..." he opened the wicker lid. "Sandwiches.. I didn't know what you like."

"I love sandwiches." Autumn giggled. They sat on a blanket and talked and giggled.

"Wait. So your grandfather is Peter Pan?" Hans asked.

"Yes. My grandfather steals children." Autumn rolled her eyes. "And no, there is no one on my dad's side of the family that isn't evil or crazy."

"Even your grandmother?" he lifted a brow.

"Well.. actually father has never mentioned his mother, he didn't even mention his father until he had to." Autumn shrugged. "What about you?"  
"Hmmm... Well I grew up in the southern isles. Castle, I am the youngest of 13 children, all boys. It wasn't always easy... but yeah. I really stayed in my kingdom my whole life, I really wasn't needed anywhere." he shrugged.

"I still can't believe you have 12 brothers." Autumn gasped. "I was a single child until last year."  
"Ah..." Hans smiled. "I hear your father took real great care of you though."

"Yeah. Even during the curse, he had a tea party with me once and I swear some people almost fainted... he was wearing a pink tie and everything."

"And he was still the most threatening in the town." Hans was still talking but Autumn was overcome with a feeling.

"Something is wrong." she looked at Hans. "I need to go. I'm sorry." and she magicked away, she ended up in the woods where Robin Hood and his men lived, he noticed her father was there, aiming an arrow at Rolland.

"I really don't want to do this." Gold begged Robin and started putting his hand down.

"NO!" Autumn screamed and threw herself in front of the boy, the arrow stuck into her arm. Ignoring the pain of getting shot by an arrow, she looked at her father.

"Autumn. Leave. Now. Zelena has no more patience with you. She's instructed me to kill you." Her father said. Autumn stared down her father and pulled the arrow from her arm and sent it back at him, he stopped it like she expected he would then she blasted him with magic when he was distracted.

"You're leaving empty handed." She told him.

"No.. I'm not." He came for her and she tried to stop him, but it was no use. He threw her back against a tree and put a hand to her throat. "I am so sorry my love. I am a terrible father."

"Dad.." Autumn choked. She tried all she could think of to get him off of her magically, but it was no use. "Papa... Please." she was beginning to get light headed and began clawing at his hand until she drew blood. He was squeezing harder and harder and the world was beginning to go fuzzy and dark. She began to kick when she could and kept drawing blood from his hand and wrist, she heard a muffled sound in the background then found herself dropped to the forest floor with thud. Gold gave Autumn a last, sorrowful look before heading off and leaving her coughing and gagging for air. Robin and his men came to help her and she saw Regina show up, then she realized what Robin was protecting, Regina's heart.

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**I hope you guys loved it! :D **


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey Guys, I hope you enjoy. :D **

* * *

Autumn was sitting in the Charming's flat waiting for her mother, Regina was sitting next to her.

"Autumn." Regina started.  
"Don't start with me." Autumn glared.  
"I was going to thank you. How did you know?"

"It wasn't for your heart, although I wish I had known sooner that it was, I was protecting Rolland." Autumn leaned back on the couch.

"Really? Why?"

"Because Robin and Rollie were the only two people Dad let in, after we thought mom died... Them and the hatter, before you trapped him in Wonderland. They told me what it was like outside of the castle walls and we would have tea... it was fun." Autumn chuckled, "Robin let me put a tea hat on him one time, it was pink with the biggest, frilly white ploom ever."

"That sounds ridiculous." Regina chuckled.

"I think it's nice that you two like each other." Autumn smiled.

"Whatever are you talking..."  
"Don't worry." Autumn smiled, then sighed. "So much for my first date." the door burst open and Belle and Dove came rushing in, the Charmings, Henry, Hook and Emma behind them.

"OH Autumn. What were you thinking?" Belle hugged her. "Let me see... Ohh.." Belle tisked.

"I'm fine Mama..." but Autumn was enveloped in a hug.

"Little Missus.. you need to be more careful." Dove told her.

"Hey... Guys. I think Aunt Autumn had it, whatever it was. I mean, are you okay?" he looked at her hands. "I am assuming that isn't your blood."

"It is not."

"I didn't doubt you for a second... sooo I drove today!" he said brightly. "David let me."

"YOU LET HIM DO WHAT?" Regina shot off the couch, everyone looked at Regina.

"Yeah. It was fine." Henry said quietly, Autumn gave Regina the 'shut up' look.

"It's just dangerous having an underage driver running amok down main street." Regina tried to recover herself.

"Nicely said mayor..." Autumn rolled her eyes. The door opened and Hans came in.

"Autumn, are you alright? You left so quickly I was worried... look at you." he fussed as he hugged her then he pulled away, blushing. "I mean... well..." he stammered as Autumn gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Thanks." she smiled, then Henry stepped forward, looking him up and down.

"Soo.. I am going to assume this wasn't you." he gestured to Autumn's injuries.  
"Absolutely not."

"Good. Because Autumn is the only family on my Dad's side I have left. Honestly the only extended family I have. I am from Boston, and raised in New York city, where guys like you would be prey. Remember that." Henry smiled and walked upstairs nodding at Emma. "I'm going to go play my game some before I dinner."

"Okay Henry." and when Autumn heard the door closed she chuckled.

"He gets that from our side of the family." she laughed.

"Yes. I can see that." Hans chuckled.

"Good boy." Dove nodded. "Come along little missus, Chess has been warding the house and you need some rest. He's also making something up for your injuries."

"Great, I have a cat for a nurse. I've seen enough Dr. Who to know this can go one of two ways." Autumn chuckled and Emma gave her a swift and playful smack on the arm. They said their goodbyes, and after they left Regina stopped Autumn on the stairs by grabbing her arm, Autumn saw Belle go into defensive mother mode.

"Autumn, be careful... and thank you." The queen smiled. "But don't ever try to save my life again." she scolded.

"For once, I agree with Regina." Belle said. "Let's go Autumn."

"Why are you still alive?" Autumn asked.

"I don't know." Regina shrugged. "I can't be controlled by it, I protected it from that. So, except for killing me, it is completely useless to her."

"She must need it for something..." Autumn turned to her mother. "That can narrow down our search, spells that need hearts are always particularly nasty ones. Maybe we can figure out what Zelena is doing now. I mean she needs a baby, a heart and something from dad."

"It's a good start, but I've checked in all your father's books, there isn't anything that uses a baby and a heart."

"Did you check in the hidden library?" Autumn asked, Belle looked confused. "I'll take that as a no." she turned to Regina. "I'll call you if I find anything. This is a big lead, you not being dead." Autumn and Belle left.

"I hate you got hurt saving that woman." Belle muttered darkly.  
"What do you mean mom?"

"She has done so many terrible things, including threatening you, making everyone thing that I was dead, and locking me in an asylum for 28 years. It's hard just overlook that." Belle sighed. "It's just so hard."

"I know it's hard, forgiveness is hard." Autumn told her, "But the ability to forgive makes us different than our adversaries. It's what makes us heroes. And Regina is really trying. Plus, forgiveness is really for you, not for her." She smiled, Belle looked proud.

"When did you get so wise?" she kissed Autumn's head. Dove drove them home, where Chess was waiting.  
"Hey Chess, you know how to get to the back library, right?" Autumn asked.

"At the dark castle, yes. Here... I can't say I do." he said. "Why?"  
"Zelena got Regina's heart, and Regina is still alive..."

"What?" Hans asked, astonished. "I mean, why wouldn't Zelena just kill the woman?"

"Exactly, so..." she turned to Chess. "What do you know about things that need Hearts and Babies... and whatever my father may have to bring to the table."

"So, you're asking me for help?" Chess teased.

"Must you..."

"Because I actually may know something the great Princess of the Dark Castle does not..."

"Nevermind." She huffed.

"It narrows to youth potions and some really REALLY old magic. Magic that existed before your father was the dark one." Chess said.  
"Thank you, for finally being useful." Autumn rolled her eyes and motioned for everyone to follow her upstairs. They went into the house study, where Autumn pulled a book out of place, revealing a hidden library. "Alright, so let's see what trouble we can get to in here."

"Little Missus, I think we are forgetting something that Zelena took." Dove said, before Autumn could even reach on of the bookshelves.

"What's that Dove?"

"Remember when David encountered himself in the woods that day? With the Nightshade root? The hilt of his shattered sword was missing." Dove reminded her.

"Oh... what... what does that mean? Why would she need that?" Autumn asked, more to herself.  
"She needs something that Charming has, that she doesn't possess..." Autumn tried to talk herself through it, Belle gasped. "What mom?"  
"Bravery. David is know for his pure hearted bravery." she turned to Chess. "Does that narrow down our search?"

"It rules out youth potions. But it also rules out everything else... I don't know what would include that, and I also don't know what she would need from your father."

"She's using him for his brain." Dove said, everyone stared. "The little missus went through a short Wizard of Oz and Wicked spell, remember?"  
"Yeah I did..." Autumn chuckled. "Because Papa didn't like me watching them."  
"I can see why, and would agree with him." Belle muttered.

"So we have a heart, a brain, courage... but no one asked for a baby in that movie." Autumn bit her lip as she went through the old magic books.

"maybe it is a true love thing." Hans pointed out. "I mean those two did make a savior."

"I don't think so." Belle shot him down. "These are all representations. I mean she isn't going to dissect your father, she can't."

"Hans, call Regina, put her on speaker." Autumn called from the top of the ladder.

"Did you find something Autumn?" Regina sounded shocked and impressed.

"Not really. I was going to ask, have you seen your sister recently? It doesn't seem like anyone in your family to win and not try to gloat."

"She came over this morning, as your father was stealing my heart, why?"

"What did she say? Anything in particular? We are searching through really dark and really old magic and we could use something light, anything you can offer." Autumn told her.

"Umm, she was gloating and mentioned our mother, so I bit of that mother actually kept me and..." Regina trailed off.

"And?" everyone in the room chorused.

"She actually did say something, she said that not knowing what really happened in the past will be my downfall."

"Okay. So she believes something or someone made Cora give her up. SO she's focused on that past. I know you don't know what happened... it would be easier if you did. Thanks Aunt Ginny!" Autumn called playfully.

"I've told you, don't call-"

"Sorry.. in.. library.. breaking.. can't.." Autumn pretended and mouthed to Hans to just hang up.

"So revenge spells." Hans said.

"No..." Autumn said, remembering her father telling her the true story of the wicked witch. "No, Zelena went green with envy over her sister's life and luxuries. This isn't about revenge. It's about changing the past. Time travel!" she looked at Chess. "A TIME TRAVEL SPELL!"

"There has never been a successful time travel spell. Ever." Chess told her, but magicked a book from the shelf and opened to a page. What was needed was courage, a blackened heart that is still beating, all knowing. "There is no mention of a baby."

"Yes there is, this spell has never been successful before because no one has been reading this part correctly." Autumn pointed. " 'unspoiled innocence is needed to walk the path back in time'. Centuries, everyone has probably interpreted this as something the caster must be, not something the caster needed."

"A newborn baby, the greatest unspoiled innocence." Belle shook her head, Autumn snapped a picture with her phone and ran out. "Where are you going?"

"To get this to Regina and the others!"


	14. Chapter 14

**New Chapter! I know! It took me for forever! Sorry. But I hope you all enjoy!**

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Autumn arrived at the old Mayor's house and knocked on the door furiously. "Regina! Open up!"

"What do you want? I'm kind of busy." Regina asked.

"I know what Zelena is trying to do... What's so important?" Autumn in, pushing her way into the house.

"Sure just come on in." Regina rolled her eyes, Autumn saw a full tea service on a side table in the foyer.

"You're having tea?" Autumn eyed it. Regina gestured her to follow, in the study were Hook, Emma, Snow and Charming. "What are you doing?"

"A Seance." Regina said. "Here is some special tea..." she set everything up, Hook took his cup in his hand. "Don't touch, it's a deadly poison."

"Real nice." Emma said. "What are you doing here Autumn?"

"Zelena. We found out what she might be doing, ad why she wants your baby." Autumn said. "She wants to attempt a time travel spell. She is gathering what she needs to change the past."

"That is why we are having this. To see why my mother gave her up all those years ago." Regina said.

"Seances never work." Autumn wrinkled her nose.

"Because it's hard to gather everything you need. We are in the position on having everything available." Regina bit back.

"What do you need?" Emma asked.

"The murder weapon... and the murderer." Everyone looked at Snow. "So Autumn please step out of the circle..." Regina said, lighting the double ended candle that took Cora's life. "And everyone else, hold hands and think of Cora." Autumn looked around the table she was being shunned from.  
"Fine... oh and be careful Charming, your end of Hook is rather... sharp." she winked.

"Leave." Regina snapped. Autumn sighed and went into the foyer, but she didn't leave, she called her mom.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Belle asked.

"Yeah, can you put Chess on please?" Autumn mumbled.

"You want Chess' help?" Belle asked, Autumn could feel the smile on her mother's face.

"Yes. I know, I hate myself too."

"Be nice, here he is." Autumn could hear Belle handing the phone over.

"Well hello princess."

"Stop smirking." Autumn said.

"I'm not." but Autumn could still feel his smirk through his voice. "What do you need?"  
"My dad has a crystal ball. Do you know how to read the past?" She asked.

"Yes, you don't?"

"No, I only know how to communicate with the present." Autumn sighed. "If I knew, I wouldn't be calling you."

"Fair enough."

"Bring the ball and yourself to Regina's house, they're going to need it." Autumn told him.

"How about a please?" Autumn could feel Chess' smirk.

"Please." she sighed.

"Be right there, Princess." Chess hung up. A few seconds later there was a soft knock at the door and Autumn answered it.

"How did you know to knock softly."

"Because Regina came to get the candle for a seance earlier and she has a habit of not listening to you when she should." Chess smirked.

"Stop smirking, it's unattractive." Autumn rolled her eyes and gestured for him to come inside. "Three, two, one." she counted down.

"Why won't you work!" she heard Regina's exasperated voice.

"I have impeccable timing." Chess said, sauntering behind Autumn as they both went into the study.

"Seance didn't work so well Auntie Ginny?" Autumn raised her brow.

"I told you not to call me that..." Regina growled. "But yeah, it didn't work."

"It's alright. I brought someone who can help." Autumn gestured to Chess. "We don't need to talk to Cora. We just need to know what happened. Well him and this can do it." Chess put the crystal ball on the table.

"Crystal ball ladies and gentlemen. Usually I'd expect a round of applause, but I figure it would be rude." Chess gestured fantastically. "So stunned silence will do."

"That won't work without..." Regina started, but Autumn magicked up a vial.

"Some of Cora's blood." Autumn smiled at the mayor.

"Where in the hell did you get that?" Hook asked, stunned.

"I didn't get anything. Daddy collected it for a rainy day. So I figure him being imprisoned and us needing this information to save him is as good of a reason as any." Autumn shrugged. "Work your magic feline." she handed it to Chess.

"How about a please..."

"Now." she said impatiently. "If you want me to be nice to you, you just need to realize that you work for me. Simple as that. Everyone here does."

"Wait a minute, I don't work..." Emma started but Autumn gave her a knowing look. "Okay, I have before. But I don't openly work for you."

"Newsflash Princess Pouty. I didn't really want to live here. It's why I didn't get cursed the first time. The fact that I got swept along in this one astounds even me. Part of my feels like I should blame you for it." Chess spouted back as he made the crystal glow.

"And that part of you apparently doesn't enjoy having all of it's teeth." Chess rolled his eyes.

"Well obviously we should just send you to the witch with your wit and that damned mouth of yours." he hissed, Autumn glared.

"Why do I even continue to put up with you?"

"Because I am the closest thing to your father we've got." he gestured as the crystal was showing part of Cora's past, she was holding a baby.

"So what is this thing?" Emma asked.

"Crystal balls, so very useful." Chess smiled.

"Is that Zelena?" Snow asked.

"No. That's gold embroidery on that baby's dress. This is baby Regina." Autumn pointed at the picture.

"She spun that gold herself for that dress." Regina looked sad, there was an awkward tension, the Chess cleared his throat. "Why is this first?"

"Must have been what she was thinking about when she died." Chess said. They all looked down and watched a very young Cora holding baby Regina up.

_'Her name is Regina, for one day she will be Queen.' Cora announced and the ballroom bowed and chanted back._

"Right, backing it up." he waived his hand, then stopped. "Did I just see you Pouty?" stopped, it was younger Autumn, obviously when Cora and Regina were trying to take Henry.

_'A little girl isn't going to stop me.' Cora said to the younger Autumn. _

_'This one is. I am Autumn Gold. Heir to the Gold fortune and the town of Storybrook.' Cora shot a fireball at the younger Autumn.. 'I am Rosalynn, Princess of the Dark Castle.' Another shot and the protection spell faltered a bit. 'And I will not be outdone by a Miller's Daughter.' Young Autumn said defiantly, Cora broke through but young Autumn made a pushing motion with her hands and Cora flew back, hitting the wall of the stairwell. _

"Well that happened." Emma said.

"I wasn't wrong." Autumn shrugged. Chess started rewinding back, Autumn saw a flash of something and stopped Chess. "Was that you?"

"Probably. Cora was the tyrant of my beautiful home for too long..." Chess looked up at the Mayor. "Thanks for that one Regina."

"You can't entirely blame me for that..." Regina countered. "It was Gold's idea and Gold's mirror. I had no idea it actually went somewhere."

"Fair enough." Chess said, Autumn was watching the encounter between Cora and Chess unfold.

_'Hello Cheshire Cat.' Cora smiled as two card guards threw Chess in front of her._

_'Hello. You know if you wanted to visit, you could have sent a message. And maybe put a kettle on.' Chess brushed himself off. _

_'Oh, but I am sending a message.' Cora countered. 'Do you see where we are?' _

_'A tower a presume.'_

_'A fixed tower. You can't do magic in here... only I can.' Cora magically caught Chess by the throat and slammed him into the wall opposite to her. 'So, there is no use lying to me or defying me. So answer my questions in one word, Rumplestiltskin has a daughter now, I hear?" _

_'Yep.' Chess croaked. _

_'And the imp, he trusts you with his daughter?'_

"_Yes.' _

_'Good.. Bring her to me.' Cora ordered. _

_'No.' Chess said defiantly. _

_'What?' Cora growled, tightening her magical grip. In a puff of smoke Chess was gone. _

_'Said no, love.' Chess was on the ledge of the only window in the tower. 'By the way, I can still magic, I just can't magic out. And you just made a huge mistake. I wonder what the Dark One will do when he finds out you're after his precious baby girl? Mhmm?'_

_'You still can't escape, so how will he know?' Cora smirked. _

_'This way.' Chess opened the window and stepped closer. _

_'You'll die.' Cora said, Chess stepped closer to the edge. 'You're mad.' _

_'One thing you still haven't figured out about Wonderland... We're all mad here.' Chess winked and fell backwards out the window, arms spread wide and laughing. _

Autumn turned to Chess. "You would have died to protect me?"

"It's in my job description. He wanted me instead of the black knight but I told him I don't babysit, but I would still keep you out of harms way when I could."

"Thanks." Autumn bit her lip. Chess moved his hand more until he stopped.

"I think I found Zelena." he motioned to Cora carrying a baby wrapped in a plain swaddle blanket, he moved his hand back again.

"Wait. I thought we were looking for Zelena." Charming asked.

"We need to find out why my mother gave her up." Regina told the Prince. Chess stopped at a scene with Cora as a bar maid. They watched her be wooed by a man, claiming to be a Prince. The next scene was Cora showing up at the castle garden.

"He's the gardener..." Snow said sadly. "And she's pregnant." she pointed out, then Cora affirmed it. The man denied her and her unborn child, Cora then began to scream for the guards and someone came to her aid as the man ran away. "That's my father." Snow's eyes went wide. They watched the exchange of two people from different parts of the same world, and both Cora and Leopold seemed to be happy, together.

"That is both creepy and adorable. She seems so... happy." then the picture began to fade and Autumn turned to Chess. "What's happening?"

"It's running out of blood." He said. "So.. goodbye listening, hello watching very quickly." he waived his hands and the scene sped up.

"It's like watching a movie on fast forward." Charming said.

"There's my mother..." Snow said, the scene changed to Leopold telling Ava that he was choosing Cora.

"Your father is choosing Cora over being King." Autumn said.

"I thought the thrown was Ava's through Leopold." Regina asked.

"No. It was Leopold's through Ava, she was next in line but at the time custom dictated she couldn't rule on her own and she needed an heir." Autumn corrected her. "Trust me I spend too much time learning all this stuff."

"That sounds stupid." Emma said. "So Ava could only be queen by marrying?"

"Yep, and that alliance was made when Leopold and Ava were just kids. He was risking more than the throne, but his entire kingdom pulling a bullshit stunt like that."

"My mother isn't a bullshit stunt." Regina snapped.

"In this case, she was. She's a village bar maid who is pregnant with another man's child and probably will try to pass it off as Leopold's. She's a scandal." Autumn shrugged. "Nothing against your mother.. well at this point in her life there isn't."

"It's the guy who knocked her up." Emma pointed, Cora and the gardener were talking, it seemed to be intense.

"Ugh I hate not being able to hear what's happening." Regina scoffed.

"He's blackmailing her." Emma said.

"How do you know that?"

"I've been blackmailed before." Emma shrugged. "What gets me is that Ava seemed to just bow out of marrying Leopold. She didn't seem to fight much."

"She probably had more offers." Hook shrugged.

"She didn't bow out. She was biding her time." Autumn said.

"You make it sound like _my _mother was the manipulative master mind." Snow sounded a bit offended.

"Everyone has ways of getting what they want. And from what I read about your mother, she was not a stupid woman." Autumn told her.

"She was also the kindest woman I've ever known." Snow defended.  
"She is also about 19 here and has a lot of growing up to do before she becomes the woman you know. Right now she is like a wounded animal in a cage. Everything she planned and all she had hoped of accomplishing is being pulled out from under her. I don't care how good a person is, I have yet to know someone who will just go down without a fight." Autumn gestured to the crystal ball, Ava was confronting Cora, in front of Leopold. "There is her fight."

"Can we get some words, please?" Snow asked.

"It'll drain the magic, so if this isn't what we are looking for, we're screwed." he looked between Regina and Snow.

"It's fine." Snow nodded to Regina.

"Yeah, just do it." Regina waived her hand. Chess slowed things to normal speed.

"_Cora, it true?" _

"_Leopold, my love." Cora started.  
"Are you with child?" Leopold asked. He was attempting to be stern, but the sound of his heartbreaking was overpowering. _

"_Leopold, my love. I am so sorry, for the trouble that this lie is putting you through." _

"_Cora, I love you, and I plan to marry you and I am going to follow that plan through, as long as I know that I can trust you." _

"_There is no baby, just my love for you." _

"_You only love yourself." Ava spat._

"_I still don't know what she is doing here." Cora glared back. _

"_She is here because she overheard your rendezvous is the garden." Leopold told Cora. _

"_And just as I said, the miller's daughter is a worthless liar." Ava looked down on Cora. _

"_You awful child." Cora spat at her. "Yes there was a man, roaming the grounds. I fear he would steal something so I made him leave. Anything else Ava has told you is the invention of a jealous brat who would say anything to marry you for her own gain." Leopold turned to Ava._

"_Check her pockets." Ava said simply. Leopold did and he took out a fist full of jewels. _

"_Leopold." _

"_There is nothing left to say." Leopold walked passed Cora. _

"_You deserve better than her lies." Ava added, motioning for the guards. The guards took Cor by the arms and began dragging her out of the castle. _

"_Leopold please, don't let me go." Cora begged, but Leopold turned his back._

The crystal ball died.

"I think we found it." Chess said, Snow looked shocked.

"I thought our family were the good guys." Emma said.

"Life is too messy for it to ever be that simple." Regina sighed, walking out of the room.

"We have time though. Zelena needs our baby and now we know what she wants... we have an advantage." Charming said, Autumn went after Regina.

"What are you thinking?" she asked the mayor.

"What? Don't people usually ask if people are 'okay'?"

"You obviously aren't. What are you thinking?" Autumn asked.

"Zelena wants to kill Snow's mother. Snow won't be born, I won't be born, Emma won't be born, Henry won't be born."

"It'd be interesting to see if I will be born. It's on the fence." Autumn bit her lip.

"Why won't you be born?" Regina was confused.

"Well, Zelena would be trained by my dad. For me to be born, my dad would have to make the deal for my mom, but with Zelena's jealousy issue, she might flip out at another woman in my dad's life. So it can either be, Zelena will do something bad to my mom, Dad will never deal for mom, OR Dad stops training Zelena because of her jealousy, like he did in this world and he keeps mom. Two of those three scenarios I never get born. I don't really like my odds." Autumn explained.

"We can't let her win."

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**Thank you everyone for reading! I hoped you like it! :D **


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys! I know it's been forever! School and two jobs slows things WWAAYYY down! BUUTT know that you will be getting updates when I can! I promise! This is not abandoned! : D Here is the llllooonnnggg awaited next chapter! **

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The next morning Autumn was sitting with Henry in his room at Granny's.

"You ready yet boy? I want peanut butter waffles." Autumn whined.  
"I literally just woke up." Henry groaned, walking out of the bathroom. Autumn rolled her eyes as they both walked out of the room. They turned down the hall and came face to face with Regina and Robin, and they were kissing pretty hard.

"Good morning Madame Mayor." Autumn swooned and giggled.

"Good morning Autumn, Henry." Regina cleared her throat and blushed. Autumn laughed as she and Henry walked away,

"I feel like that was awkward." Henry said.

"No. It was fantastic." Autumn laughed. They entered the diner and saw Mary Margaret go passed them and grab Regina and Emma walking out of the door with Charming.

"What's happening?" Henry asked.

"I'm not sure." Autumn asked.

"Well I'm going to find out." Henry pushed through the door. Autumn rolled her eyes and followed, and she walked straight into a stand off between the stubborn as her father Emma and the stubborn as Emma and Autumn, Henry.

"I deserve to know what's going on!" Henry yelled.

"No you don't!" Emma yelled back, Autumn whistled and both turned to her.

"Both of you, knock it off!" she looked between this. "This standoff will last forever, you two are equally as stubborn. Emma, is what you doing important?"

"Yes."

"Then why can't I know-" Henry started.

"Because she doesn't know it will work. Henry I trust your mother with my life... so please. Just stay here." Autumn said calmly.

"Are you stay?" He eyed her up and down.

"No..."

"Then why-"

"Because I am going on a date... wish to join?" Autumn asked.

"No.."

"Emma." Autumn rounded. "Don't yell at him again."

"Are you telling me how to raise-" Emma started.

"No. I'm telling you how not to be like Aunt Ginny." Autumn whispered. "Don't. Yell. At. Him. Again."

"I'm helping him." Emma said. "We can't find the book." she whispered.

"That's what she said too." Autumn lifted her brow. Emma huffed and turned.

"Wait. Can I have your keys? I lift mine in the room, and if I am going to be a prisoner, I would like my video game." Emma nodded and handed them over. Autumn smiled and walked down the street, magicking away when she knew she was out of Henry's eye sight. She went back to her house, set up a picnic brunch in her library and changed into a cute black sundress under a magenta coat. Mom and Dove were at the library and Chess was at the shop, so the house was completely empty. The door bell rang, it was Hans.

"Wow, you look wonderful." he smiled.

"Thank you, I set the picnic up in the library..." she smiled.

"Seems reasonable." he winked, he offered his arm and they walked up the stairs. Once they settled in and ate a bit, conversation really began to flow.

"So then, my brother goes to mount his house, and the strap is still holding. I didn't cut all the way through then about ten minutes into his ride, he has the horse buck up, to impress his lady friend, and snap. Through it tears and my brother falls off the back end, except one foot is in the stirrup. As the horse gallops away it drags him through all sorts of mud. As the horse stops, it relieves himself all over my brother's face!" Hans laugh, Autumn is practically gasping with laughter.

"Oh my god!" she pants.

"Needless to say, that lord's daughter did not become a member of our family. But my brother is now known in court as 'shit for brains'." Hans chuckled. "One of the few joys of siblings, is messing with them."

"I didn't have siblings, but when I was at Snow White's castle, I did make a friend, well he's my best friend. We used to steal pastries from the kitchen, all the time. It was full proof for about a year, then we almost got caught. Well... he got caught, I didn't." she shrugged.

"How?"

"I magicked away and left him to take the blame." she giggled. Hans laughed, he got up and walked to the speakers, where music was playing from Autumn's phone. "This music is so different." he laughed.

"If you don't like it, I can find something else." She smiled, she went to get near him, but her nerves got the best of her and she pretended to look at a shelf. Hans stood in front of her, parallel to he shelf.

"I love it." he inched closer. Autumn's eyes closed as she waited for the kiss that was to come. Her breath was held as she could feel him coming closer then.. there was a small click and a tumbling sound.  
"Ah!" Hans groaned. Autumn opened her eyes and one side of one of the shelves above them had broken, making a ramp that dumped all of the shelf's books right on Hans' head.

"Hans! Oh no! Are you alright?" Autumn gasped and looked up. "I don't even know how that happened." She looked back down at him but then something glimmered and caught her eye. "Henry's book!" she grabbed it. "Hans! You helped me find it! Come on,we have to get this to Emma!" Autumn grabbed him and magicked away. They arrived in the flat, but down stairs.

"EEEMMMAAA!" Autumn sang. "I have a gift for you!" Everyone rushed from one of the rooms.

"What is it?" Emma asked, Autumn held it up. "Your mom said it wasn't in the shop. Where did you find it?"

"Hans found it, in the house library." Autumn smiled.

"Yes. Hit me, like a ton of stones." Hans pointed to his head, Autumn noticed he had a cut that was bleeding a bit.

"Oh my! Sorry honey." she magicked it healed and gave his forehead a quick peck.

"Let's go get Henry!" Regina smiled. "I'm getting my son back."

"Do you guys think this will bring back the boy's memory?" Hans asked.

"And ours." Charming smiled. Autumn shook Hans excitedly and they went to the diner..

"Henry isn't here." Emma said, after going to up their room.

"What?"

"He isn't in the room and my keys are gone..." Emma repeated.

"Give me something of his, I have a locator spell."

"I'm already there, I have GPS on his phone, he's at the docks."

"What the hell is he doing there?" Autumn asked. Emma ran out with everyone else. "Something isn't right."

"What are you going to do?" Hans asked. "Maybe you should stay here in case he comes back. I'll catch up with the others."

"Hans, darling. I know you mean well, but I am not your usual princess. I don't wait behind." Autumn eyed.

"I feel like this is this the Wicked Witch's doing." Hans said.

"You're right! Stay here, in case he comes back." She magicked away and to the docks. She looked around and saw flying monkey's attacking one boat house, Autumn ran to it and went through the doors. Charming, Emma and Regina were fighting and loosing. A monkey got is hands on Henry and Autumn intervened.

"Hands off my damned nephew!" She shouted and lasted back all of the creatures. Autumn ran up to check Henry for bites, but he tore away from her.

"Mom... what's happening? What the hell is that?"

"Henry are you hurt..." Autumn started.

"Don't touch me!" Henry snapped in fear. Autumn felt something rip inside of her.

"Henry... I.. I just need you to believe."

"Believe in what? Mom I don't understand." Henry was almost frantic.

"Believe in magic." Emma told him. "This book... it's more than stories." She held it out for him. "Please... believe." Henry nodded and put his hands on the book and something changed in his eyes.

"Mom..." Henry whispered, then he looked at Regina. "Mom..." he smiled at her. "Autumn... nice shot." he chuckled.

"You know... just been practicing." Autumn smirked.

"Come here kid, let's break this curse." Emma smiled and went to kiss Henry on the forehead, and he disappeared.

"Sorry to interrupt." Zelena said, holding Henry by the neck. "Now, who wants to say goodbye first?"

"Don't you da-" Regina went to magic, but Zelena blasted her back, knocking her out cold on the wooden dock.

"Let him go, he had nothing to do with this." Emma said.

"Who are you?" Henry said struggling.

"Call me Auntie Zelena." she hissed. "Don't blame me dead... blame your pirate."

"Damn you Zelena." Hook cursed.

"The fuck is she talking about Hook?" Autumn snapped.

"Doesn't matter!" Emma used her magic, and it wasn't stopped by Zelena. It seemed to be hurting the witch, until Emma got, notably, tired. That gave Zelena a window to block the magic and with a chuckle she gripped Henry tighter, then she stopped. With a bang she was thrown back and Henry was let go.

"Let go of my grandson you bitch." A growl came, everyone turn.

"Daddy?" Autumn smiled then saw Hans next to him, smiling and holding up the kris dagger.

"Something I learned being the youngest. When there is confusion one way, see what's left behind the other." the prince smiled.

"Mom... mom!" Henry was shaking Regina. Gold walked up to Regina and knelt down. With a wave of his hand, water splashed on the former evil queen. Regina shot up in an instant.

"What the-"

"You're scaring your son." Gold grabbed her upper arm. "Up you get."

"Henry!" Regina hugged the boy. "I am never, never letting you leave without me again." she kissed the boy's forehead. With a familiar pulse, the curse was broken and the missing year came flooding back into her head. Namely, the image of her father in a cage in the dark castle, completely insane. Tears welled up in Autumn's eyes as she hugged her father.

"How did you get here Gold?" Regina asked. "Is this a trick y Zelena?"

"No ma'am." Hans said, showing the dagger.

"Hans saved him..." Autumn whispered, kissing the prince full on the mouth in front of everyone. He slowly put a hand around her waist, then there was a clearing of a throat.  
"That's quite enough that, I think boy." Gold eyed Hans up and down.

"Right." he stepped back, respectfully and handed Autumn the dagger. "Forgive me, but I believe you're the best person for this.

"Good choice." Henry laughed. "Hi other grandpa." Gold smiled and ruffled Henry's hair a bit.

"Soo... we're magicking home? Cuz there is not enough room in the bug and the truck for us all." Autumn smiled.

"Actually I called Dove to come pick us up in the Cadilac." Hans smiled.

"And he thinks ahead." Autumn giggled.

"Mmmmm..." Gold grunted.

"He saved your life."

"And I am grateful. But you are my daughter."

"Mom doesn't like him either." Autumn huffed.

"I don't dislike the boy. He is just a boy." then he turned to her. "Your mother doesn't like him?"

"She doesn't trust royals much, she says."

"Well she was raised with them..." he smiled. "I'm sure he's fine." they joined Hans and Dove at the Cadilac. They were getting in the car when Henry walked up to them.

"Hey... we're going to... to see my dad. If you wanted to..." Henry looked down and cleared his throat. "Please?" he asked.

"Be honored to, my boy. We'll meet you there." Gold nodded. When they arrived at the grave, Hans, Snow and Charming stood back, while Gold, Autumn, Henry and Emma went to the headstone. Gold gave Henry and rose and they both place a rose on the grave.

"He really was a hero." Henry whispered.

"He really was kid. He didn't even think of himself, in the end, he sacrificed everything for you,"

"I was so proud of him..." Gold whispered.

"AAH!" Snow gasped.

"Snow?"

"The baby! It's coming!" she clutched Charming.

"Hospital we go, Autumn, get Charming's truck." Gold said, without warning he magicked Charming, Snow and himself away.

Emma got in her bug, Dove drove in the cadilac and Hans and Autumn jumped in the truck. Then Henry jumped in.

"No kid, you're in the bug with me... no offense Autumn." Emma said.

"Go mom! You're more help there." Henry said, Emma sighed and drove away.

"It's a stick... I don't know how to drive stick..." Autumn gasped as she turned over the engine.

"Switch me spots Hans. Grandpa taught me." Henry took hold of the gear shift. "Just when I saw clutch, press the clutch." for a minute it seemed like the plan worked, until there was a grind.

"Henry..." Autumn said anxiously.

"Grind it till you find it. I got this." Henry said, then the truck stalled.

"Screw this." Autumn started the car again. "Throw it in the highest gear."

"Grandpa said it was that was for going fast." Henry said.

"Yep." She grabbed the shift, found 5th gear, and floored it.

"Princess!" Hans grasped the handle of his door.

"Autumn!"

"I got this!" she honked the horn and dodged other cars, then went around Dove and Emma.

"Sorry guys, can't slow down!" she shouted out the window. When they got in front of the hospital, she slammed on the break and the car sputtered and died. She put it in park and took the keys out. "We're here." she looked over at the boys, who were both panting.

"Autumn!" Emma got out of her bug. "That was insane!"

"Emma... your mother is having a baby... what took you so long?" She laughed, jumping out of the truck, laughing. She got in stride with Dove. "I think we need to pay for transmission damages on that truck."

"I think we should just buy him a new truck... an automatic." Dove nodded. They went into the waiting room where Regina and Gold were already there.

"Did we miss the baby?" Autumn asked excitedly.

"No... Babies take time love." Gold smiled.

"Is she alright?" Emma asked.

"This birth is going to be much easier than yours." Regina nodded.

"Because with Dad around, nothing is threatening her." Autumn sat next to her.

"We're setting up a perimeter anyway." Regina said. "Come on Henry, we're going to join the merry men." The lights flikered.

"We are needed at the door, Savior." Gold nodded. "You two, stay here..." he turned, then stopped and turned back.

"What Gold?" Emma asked. Gold magicked Hans to the other side of the bench from Autumn. "Really?"

"Dad." Autumn gasped. They went down the hallway, leaving the two alone. "Sorry about him.

"It's quite alright. You're his daughter." Hans smiled.

"Yeah. I know... it's a man thing. But he should have prepared for me eventually finding someone. Plus, he shouldn't worry too much."

"I think he should." Hans said, Autumn turned to him.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well... You're naive. Easily mislead... you trust everyone... and you are much more of an idiot than you seem to realize."

"Why would you say that-" she was cut off by Hans blowing powder in her face.

"Because you thought someone would want to be with you, instead of just wanting this." he took the dagger from her waistband. There was a familiar laugh in the background, and she fell asleep.

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**For those who kept saying that they didn't trust Hans... you were right! I know... poor Autumn, her first crush and it's that mfer! BBuutt cool stuff to come! I promise!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys! I know, long time no post again... But here is a new chapter! :DDDD**

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There was a slash of cold water and Autumn sat up. She looked up and saw Chess, with her memories back, she understood how much she could trust the cat for Wonderland.

"Chess."  
"Nice to see you too again. Zelena took the baby. Hans... he's.."

"a traitorous liar."

"Yes. He's with Zelena right now. With the dagger, your father, and the baby. Come on." He helped her up. She felt something inside her, it was pain.

"Where is everyone else?"

"Up the hall..." he lead her. They walked and heard the conversation.

"I don't know how..." Charming started.

"Hans... I let him in and he was with Zelena the whole time." Autumn interjected.

"Mom doesn't have magic any more." Henry told her. "But I know my other mom has light..." Autumn cut him off.

"You guys, excluding you Henry, go head off Zelena." Autumn said.

"What do you.."  
"I said go..." Autumn snapped. "I'll handle the rest."

"Autumn..." Regina started.

"Your son believes in you... he believes you are a hero, don't let him down and go act like one." Autumn said. When they left she turned to Chess. "Want to find me that little Prince?"

"With pleasure, Princess." he smiled. Soon they found themselves at the farm house, Hans was alone. Chess magicked him tied to a chair and Autumn stood over him.

"Ah... Princess-"

"You don't get to call me that." She snapped.

"OH? What do I call you? Just Autumn then?" Hans sassed. "The girl who'll never be loved?"

"No... your worse goddamn nightmare... where is my Father's dagger?"

"Not here." he smirked. Autumn smacked his face, letting her nails drag and draw blood. She pushed him back into a wall and she felt ice growing in the room. He looked a bit scared, but also comfortable. That was the first time Autumn got a good look into his eyes and that she could really read him.

"You're a bastard..." She whispered and started chuckling. "A bastard Prince."

"Don't say that..." Hans gritted his teeth.

"The King's bastard, no doubt. No King would keep his Queen's bastard." Hans' blue eyes narrowed and it all clicked. The red hair, the blue grey eyes... "You're Zelena's son."

"What?" Chess asked from behind her.

"Once my mother changes the past, she will have the position to marry my father and I will be the one and only heir of the Southern Isles." Hans spat.

"You really believe that?" Autumn asked.

"My mother loves me, with everything she has." Hans stated firmly.  
"I'm so glad to hear that." Autumn got closer to him. "Because that gives me leverage." She magicked them to where she felt her father was, where she knew Zelena was with him. They appeared outside the stable house on the outskirts of town. Chess had magically bound and gagged Hans.

"Autumn... what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to do the best I can." Autumn smirked. Chess pushes Hans to the door and when Autumn opened them, they walked through. "Zelena, You might want to let my father go!"

"What the hell would I do that?" Zelena asked.

"Because, I'm willing to trade." Autumn gestured. "My father, for your son."

"I don't have a son." Zelena stated.

"Oh?" she turned to Hans. "You lied to me? Well not surprising. I guess you're of no use to me, Bastard Prince." she reached into Hans' chest and pulled his heart from it.

"Autumn, what are you doing?" Charming asked, sounding a little horrified.

"Not this way lass..." Hook gasped.

"Chess, stop her." Regina said. Autumn unbound and ungagged Hans. She stared at Zelena, and there was no change. Hans was gasping next to her.

"It sounds like he's in a bit of shock. Trust me, I know, having your heart out is not a comfortable feeling." she gave the heart a quick pumping squeeze, Hans exclaimed in pain, and still nothing from Zelena, but she was staring at Autumn intently, so was her father. "Still nothing? Alright then." Autumn shrugged and began to squeeze.

"Mother?" Hans asked, he dropped to his knees in pain, Autumn kept squeezing and Hans' heart began to glow.

"You don't have it in you little girl. You can never come back from killing... you won't sacrifice yourself for some guy." Zelena said, Autumn let up.

"You're right... I am not a killer..." Autumn let up. Then without warning she dug her nails in and blew ice into the heart. Hans immediately froze over like an ice sculpture. With a puff of smoke, she held her father's cane in her hands. "I am one hell of an ice sculptor though. But I've never tried baseball..." she lifted the cane up and swung.

"NO DON'T!" Zelena shouted. There was a slight thud and the dagger fell to the ground. Her father took the sudden freedom and blasted Zelena back. Autumn put the cane down and joined Charming, Hook, Emma and Regina. Chess was holding the Charming baby and passed it to Charming.

"Good distraction." Chess smiled as he sunk Regina's heart back in her chest.

"Gold, what are you doing? Stop!" Emma yelled. Gold was dragging Zelena to the middle of the spell ruin. The magic was starting up again.  
"Autumn! Stop him." Charming said. "He'll listen to you." Autumn stood there, both hands folded on the cane.

"Autumn." Hook said.

"Autumn!" Emma shouted. Autumn just stood there, watching her father trying to send the witch somewhere she didn't belong.

"Enough of this. Dark One, I command you to stop." Regina said, picking up the dagger. Gold immediately stopped. "That's not how we are dealing with her."

"She killed my son. I will not let her go unpunished." Gold spat.

"Look what you are doing to your daughter?" Regina hissed back. "Look at what she has become without you. She needs her father, not a murderer."

"Autumn is..."

"She held a man's heart in her hand and squeezed. Go over there and take your daughter home." Regina's eyes narrowed. Gold turned around and walked to Autumn.

"I'm so sorry Papa." Autumn looked down. "I fell for something so stupid."

"You did nothing wrong my little one..." Autumn sighed and turned away from him.

"Autumn... we are locking Zelena up and we need Hans unfrozen." Emma said,

"I don't know how." Autumn smiled.

"Maybe we can just let him melt." Chess suggested.

"You don't get a say. She went full on crazy and you didn't do anything." Charming shot a look.

"And he used me and told me that I'll never be loved."

"Aye, I may vote for melting as well." Hook asked.

"Emma's right. We aren't killing him. I called Dove and we have a chilled van, we can move him somewhere until I can figure out how to unfreeze him." Gold said. Autumn looked behind him and saw Regina talking to the dagger.

"Fair enough, Regina." Autumn sighed, putting her hand out for the dagger.

"I don't think so. You haven't showed that you can have the responsibility." Regina eyed here. "I'll be holding onto this until Dove tells me the frozen prince if somewhere safe."

"I think I know where to take him." Autumn sighed. "Go take out resident fashion nightmare to the jail."

"You're one to talk.." Zelena bit back, eyeing her coat.

"This is Ralph Lauren." Autumn hissed. Everyone left, leaving Autumn, Gold and Chess waiting for Dove. "You were always right Dad." Autumn sighed.

"About what?" he asked.

"Love... it's just a weapon." she looked at Hans. "I was used."

"I am so sorry little love." Gold went to hug her but she shrugged it off. She saw Dove driving up in the freezer van and met him.

"Hello, little missus."

"Hey Dove. He's in there... I'm not sure how we're going to..." she started but Dove unloaded a large dolly from the back of the truck. "You think of everything."

"It is my job too." he smiled.

"We should drop Dad off with Mom, when we take Hans to where we are storing him."

"Where are we?" he asked, as they walked to where Chess and her father were waiting. "Hello sir, Miss Belle wanted me to bring you to the shop while we take care of this." Dove gestured at Hans. "She missed you as well."

"Alright. Are you sure you can handle this?" Gold looked at Chess and Dove.  
"I am sure I can, Dad." Autumn interjected. They loaded Hans in the back of the van and drove to the shop, where they dropped her father off.

"So where are we stowing him?" Dove asked.

"The ice cream shop. Miss Fisher, the ice cream lady, has a huge freezer in the back. I am sure if we pay her or something we can keep him there, until we find a way to unfreeze him." Autumn shrugged.

"That is... actually a really thought through idea." Chess said.

"What? Am I supposed to be so overwhelmed with grief at a man not loving me that I lose the ability to think?" Autumn raised an eye brow.

"You went a little crazy back there darling." Chess pointed out.

"I did not." Autumn scoffed.

"Then why is there a prince ice sculpture in the back of this van?"

"It was part of my plan."

"You were going to smash him with a cane!"

"It would have been hilarious!" Autumn bit back.

"And really messy!" Chess countered.

"Little Missus... how did you turn him into an ice scultpure?"

"Well..."

"She ripped out his heart and froze it." Chess sauntered. "Like a crazy."

"I'm not crazy." Autumn huffed. "Plus I am sure he'll never use another woman again. Plus I did him a favor. Can you imagine what his fate would be if Daddy got a hold of him?"

"Or if I did." Dove gruffed as he put the van in park. The three of them got out and Chess and Dove loaded Hans on the dolly and out of the van.

"See.. I saved his life."

"Fair enough... is he even alive?" Chess asked. Dove took a multi tool from his pocket and did a swift stab into Hans' leg, there was a muffled shriek and his eyes moved slightly.

"He is fine." Dove said.

"He's as crazy as you are." Chess said.

"Why Chess, my love... We're all mad here." Autumn looped her arm with his and strolled him into the ice cream shop.

"Miss Gold." the ice cream lady smiled then saw what Dove was wheeling in. "What is that... is that your boyfriend?" she asked.

"Ex boyfriend. He's the wicked witch's son..." Autumn sighed.

"The one who was terrorizing the town and turned those people into monkeys?" Miss Fisher asked.

"And other things..." Autumn blinked back tears.

"Ohh... You poor thing." the woman laid a hand on Autumn's shoulder. "How can I help?"

"Right..." Autumn cleared her throat. "Well I froze him and I...don't know how to unfreeze him. See we can't very well bring him to justice like this."

"I am starting to think the freezing is fitting." Fisher smiled.

"Emma doesn't and she is the sheriff. I was wondering if we could maybe house him in your walk in? Until we can sort out how to unfreeze him. We can pay you." Autumn smiled.

"Of course. Right this way." she smiled, leading the way to the back. "It's nice and cold back here. If I may, I've never seen anyone frozen like this before."

"Yeah.. Dad says that ice is rare, and he isn't even sure how I have it. But when I get frustrated things either freeze or they catch fire." Autumn smiled.

"Well.. if running the town doesn't work out. I am sure you'd be one hell of an ice cream maker." Miss Fisher giggled. "Here..." she went and scoped ice cream into a container. "Butter Pecan is your favorite... perfect for a messy break up." she winked, Autumn gave a little smile.

"Thank you, Miss Fisher. You're the best." and the three of them left Hans in the freezer, Autumn smiling as she ate her ice cream.

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**If you guys could only see my winky smiley face at the end of this chapter! Anywho! I hope you guys enjoyed!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys! Sorry for the Delay, I hope you guys all had a lovely holiday! Here is your update! **

Dove, Chess and Autumn walked into the shop and saw her mother and father having a seemingly serious conversation.

"Umm... should we come back later?" Autumn asked.

"No little love. I want you here for this." Her father smiled, he had is dagger flat in is hand. "This is trust. This is my heart, and I want you know that you have all of my heart." he handed Belle the dagger. "Now and forever."

"Rumple... wh-what are you saying?"

"I'm not saying anything. I'm asking. Will you marry me Belle?" he smiled. Belle gasped as tears formed, Autumn stared, opened mouthed, at both of her parents.

"Yes! Yes I will!" Belle threw her arms around him and kissed him. Autumn let out a girlish squeak and threw her arms around both her parents.

"OH MY GOD! Yay!" Autumn squealed. Both her parents chuckled and hugged her, kissing each side of her head. Autumn took a look at the dagger, and put a hand over it. "But you _are_ getting her a real ring thought... right Dad?"

"Yes, my dearest. I have one of those in the back.. I've... had it picked for a while." her father cleared his throat.

"Oh Rumple." Belle giggled. Everyone walked into the back room but Autumn hung back. She waived her hand and she heard a click and a creak. A cupboard with a false bottom popped open and Autumn saw the real dagger in a holder, she knew the dagger her mother had was a fake as soon as she touched it. She picked up the real dagger and closed the cupboard.

"Autumn?" came her father's voice. Autumn turned slowly, carefully hiding the dagger behind her back.

"I was looking for that bottle of true french champagne, I figured this was the exact occasion to break it out."

"That bottle I have is $1,800, I think that is best served for the actual wedding. Actually.. I was going to ask you to help plan the wedding. This town well..." he cleared his throat, "Is more receptive to you asking them for the favors it takes to put on a wedding."

"Of course! Wait, then I should totally start now... and I should tell Henry!" she smiled excitedly.

"You go do that then. But don't worry about the flowers, your mother says she wants to do that on her own."

"Gotcha Papa." she disappeared, but she didn't look for Henry. She went to the sheriff's office, she found it empty, walked through the door and locked it behind her.

"Regina, I didn't expect you back so soon." Zelena said, sounding bored as she stared at the wall of her cell.

"Then I expect you to be quite shocked when you turn 'round." Autumn said confidently.

"Little Gold. What are you doing here?" the witch turned. "Does your Mommy and Daddy know you're here?" she gave a slight giggle.

"What do you think I am doing here?" Autumn rose a brow. "I am here to get mine."

"You can't do anything... they'll stop you. Or they'll make Daddy stop you." Autumn pulled out her father's dagger and Zelena's tone changed. She knew Autumn was not joking. "You- you can't. I don't have magic. I am powerless..."

"Like my brother was?" Autumn asked, she magicked herself into the cell.

"Autumn! Don't!" Autumn turned around and saw her father. "Please, love. I... I don't want to see you go down the same road I did." he beseeched her.

"Daddy..." she sighed and turned around, Gold smiled and she heard Zelena take a sigh of relief behind her. "But I told Neal him death will be avenged. And a Gold never breaks a deal." she turned and stuck the dagger right into Zelena. Autumn pierced her blue ones into Zelena's. She twisted the dagger and the witch turned into porcelain. When she took the dagger out of Zelena, the newly fragile witch crumbled. Autumn walked out of the cell and up to her father, who looked disappointed in his daughter. "Don't look so sad Dad.. I did what had to be done."

"I know.. I wish it wasn't you." Gold sighed, "Your mother will be devastated." Autumn twitched slightly.

"As devastated as she will be when she learns you proposed to her with the fake dagger? Or with your little hiding spot?" she asked him, smiling, her father did not look happy. "I knew as soon as I put my hand over the dagger, during the lovely family hug." she smiled wider.

"I am both frustrated and impressed." Gold sighed. "I think we have come to an agreement, daughter."

"It has been a pleasure doing business with you, Daddy." she giggled and handed him his dagger back. She got a phone call, it was from Henry. "Hiya Henry, just the person I wanted to talk to."

"Hey, come to Granny's! We're doing a thing so we can hear the baby's name." he said happily, "It's a pot luck." he hung up.

"Well... excuse me Daddy. I have a party to get to." she smiled and disappeared to Granny's. She walked in and saw Doctor Hopper. "Hey Archie! Random Question, you're ordained, right?"

"Um yes... why?"

"Would you be okay with marrying my parents?" she asked, passing him a drink.

"Oh yes. Absolutely."

"Awesome. I'll text you when. Not to ask a favor and run, but I'm going to go coo the baby." she giggled.

"Go right ahead." he laughed. Autumn went over to the booth where the family was.

"Up kid." she tugged Henry out of the booth. He laughed.

"I feel replaced... like I'm not the cute one anymore." Henry laughed.

"Psshhh.. you were never the cute one. Can I hold my baby Snow! Please!" she smiled. Snow laughed.

"Sure." she passed the baby over to Autumn.

"Hi little prince." Autumn cooed. "You know.. I was one of the first people to hold your big sister." she touched his little hand, and he took her finger and squeezed it. She kissed his forehead and he gave a little squeak. "He makes cute little noises!" she giggled. Everyone laughed at Autumn's reaction.

"Were you really one of the first people to hold me?" Emma asked.

"Yep." Henry opened his book when Autumn answers. "It won't be in there kid. I don't think."

"Why not, it seems pretty complete." Hook said.

"Because I don't think I am in that book at all." Autumn scoffed.

"I know you're in the addition." Henry said, Autumn rolled her eyes. "Well you really didn't do anything Autumn."

"I know..." she sighed. "My life as a princess was dreadfully boring."

"It wasn't boring.. It was safe." Emma piped up.

"Same thing." Autumn sighed. Everyone else was talking about their adventures, but things really got interesting when Snow and Red were talking about living on her farm.

"It seemed like such a simple life, leaving everyone and everything behind." Snow sighed.

"Like mother, like daughter." Hook smirked.

"Hook." Emma smacked him.

"What is he talking about, mom?" Henry asked, everything got really tense.

"I want to know too." Regina walked up.

"It's nothing."

"Are you thinking of going back to New York, Miss Swann?" Regina asked. Emma looked at everyone, took a shakey breath and walked out the door.

"Smooth." Autumn rolled her eyes. "Push away a runner. Works every time."

"Shut up." Regina looked at her.

"I'll go talk to her." Hook sighed.

"Take this. Remind her where our home is." Henry said, handing over his book. Charming put a hand on Henry.

"Don't worry kid, she's just stubborn like her mo-" he trailed off. "Like all of our family."

"Mostly her mother." Autumn cooed to the baby.

"Hey guys, what's that?" Henry asked. Up in the sky, there was a glowing light, almost like a beacon.

"That is bad." It was Gold joined by Belle, he looked straight at Autumn. "Zelena's portal has opened itself." Autumn slowly handed the baby back to Snow and walked with Charming, Regina, Robin Hood and her parents out of the diner. Charming was the first to enter the sheriff's office.

"Where is she?"

"She was right here when I left her!" Regina said, "I took away her magic, there is no way she could have gotten out of that cell... unless.. she had help." She turned to Gold. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything." Gold defended himself. "Plus, even if I wanted to, Belle has my dagger."

"It's true. You gave it to me Regina." Belle stood up for her father.

"Well. We can just find out what happened." Charming said, walking over to a tv screen. "We had cameras in put in here." Both Gold and Autumn shifted their eyes at the cameras mountain on the wall.

"Great." Autumn said in a puff of air.

"Don't worry, Autumn. Where ever Zelena is, you're safe." Charming smiled.

"She definitely is not worried about that." Chess said coming into the office. "I take it I wasn't the only one to see the beacon. Now I see we have a missing witch." Charming looked at the screen and there was Zelena, then the image cut out, right as Autumn knew she would be entering the frame. When the image came back on, Autumn wasn't there. Instead it was Zelena and she was ending herself in the same way Autumn ended her.

"She... she must have had just enough residual magic to do herself in." Regina said. Autumn turned to her father, who nodded his head. "When she died. Her magic had nothing to tether itself too, except the portal."

"It seems Zelena got her way at last. I think this goes without saying, but no one should go near this portal. Going to the past can change so much of the future." Gold turn to Autumn. "Autumn, I am talking specifically to you. This is not one of your shows. This is not a TARDIS, there is no young man with overly gelled hair waiting at the end of this. Do. NOT. Go. Near. It."

"I know!" Autumn said offended. "Although the though of Davis Tenant..." she trailed off at Gold's hard stare.

"Rumple. Autumn is smarter than that." Belle told him.

"I know, it's not like I've been disobeying you lately..." Autumn smirked.

**Uh Oh! Autumn did the nono! Hope you all enjoyed! **


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey Guys! Sorry for the LONG gap! Super busy! Bbbuuutt here is your new chapter!**

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**_In The Past_**

Rosalyn was siting on her piano in the Dark Castle. Her father was off on a deal, so it was just her and her Black Knight. She stopped when she heard the doors to the great hall open. Her father came strolling in.

"Father." She smiled and ran to meet him, then she saw that he had people with him. "Hello?"

"Rose, love. Why don't you go have tea with The Black Knight in the garden? It's a lovely day." her father smiled at her.

"Autumn?" the blonde woman asked, Rosalynn looked at the woman, confused.

"I am Rosalynn... Princess of the Dark Castle. Who are..." Rosalynn started, then she noticed something shimmering at the wrist of one of her father's guests. "The one handed man."

"Rose-" Rumple started but his excited daughter pushed him aside.

"You're the one handed man!" she giggled happily.

"How do you know about the one handed man?" Rumple asked.

"Yes.. how do you know?" the one handed man asked her.

"I play with your hand all the time up stairs. I've always wanted to meet the better half, as it were." she smiled.

"Rosalynn." Her father said again. She finally paid attention to the tone in her father's voice.

"Father..."

"Tea." he said firmly. He gestured to The Black Knight, who did as his dark employer told him to.

"But-" she looked between her father and the guests, then sighed in defeat. "Yes Father." she curtsied, "It was a pleasure, I'm sure." she followed her knight out of the great hall.

"Black Knight.."

"Yes Princess?"  
"Do you know who those people are?"

"Not the woman. But I know enough to wonder why the one handed man is not dead."

"And obviously, you are being cryptic, because you are not going to tell me why."

"I am sorry to say that I cannot. Your father made me drink a potion." He said honestly. Rose sighed and closed her eyes. She hoped the spell she had practiced would work, she snapped her fingers and froze The Black Knight in place.

"Sorry, love." Rose sighed, and ran up the tower to her father's shop. She searched threw the shelves quickly until she found the bag she was looking for. She went back to the door of the great hall. She listened to what she could from the strangers, her father was sending them to go try to set something right. It had something to do with putting events back in order. The strangers left, on their way to the docks to intercept Snow White. She walked into the great hall. "Father?"

"Rose, love, you should be having tea." Her father told her.

"I love you Father." she told him smiling.

"I love you too, my little princess." he told her.

"But you can't keep me here." she took a small handful of the bag and blew it in her father's face. The Dark one fell asleep on the grand table with a thump. She grab a few books she was learning magic out of earlier, her cloak and summoned a horseless coach. She was going to go to the docks and find the blonde woman and the one handed man. She arrived at the dock after dark, she covered her small frame in her cloak and draped her hood up before walking into the dirty establishment, just in time to see the one handed man storming out of the bar in anger. She sighed and followed him quickly. The one handed man quickly disappeared below the deck of a ship, Rose wanted to follow him, but the two resurfaced as soon as he went down there.

"You shouldn't have done that. What if he remembers you?" The blonde asked.

"She does have a point..." Rose told him, they both flinched in her direction. "Did you send Snow to get that ring?"

"Yes, Autu- Rose. What are you doing here?" the blonde asked her.

"Helping. She's retrieving the ring from Prince James?" Rose asked.

"Aye. Now we have to wait." The one handed man said.

"That is way to risky. Snow is going to do it while the princess and his princess are celebrating their engagement. It will be easy to slip in, undetected." Rose smiled. "Come on." she gestured to them. They got in the carriage and headed towards King Midas' castle.

"How do you know about the engagement? Or this said party?" The one handed man asked.

"Everyone knows about the engagement, plus..." she pulled an envelope out of her cloak. "Father and I garnered an invitation." she smiled.

"Oh... That'll work." The blonde said.

"Are you two going to tell me who you are, or are you going to let me guess?" Rose smiled.

"I don't think-" The blonde started, but Rose gave her a look. "No. Don't give me that look. It never works on me kid."

"This look works on the most powerful dark forces in all of the realms, it works." Rose looked the woman up and down, annoyed. "But fine. Your secrets are your own." she slowed the carriage to a stop.

"Why are we stopping?" The one handed man asked.

"Your secrets are your own, but this invitation is mine." Rose looked at the blonde up and down.  
"You're really going to act like your father?" The blonde asked.

"No. My father would give you some trick or test of fate, even though he already knows the answer. He likes the game. I, however, like getting what I want. This is no trick or test. This is an ultimatum, dear lady. Give me my answers, or get out of my carriage."

"Your father would just help us anyway." the blonde countered.

"You saw how protective he was of me, do you think if he was available, I would be here?" she smiled sweetly. The blonde opened her mouth, then closed it. They stared at each other for a moment, Rose wearing a small, victorious smirk. The blonde sighed and the one handed man laughed.

"That is just like her." he laughed. "Oh tell her Swan."

"We're from the future. I'm the savior. I am Emma and this is Hook."

"How poetic." Rose giggled.

"What happened to your dad?" Emma asked.

"He's sleeping... he'll wake up eventually... I think."

"You had better hope he does... the Dark One is kind of needed for the future." Hook said, Emma looked at the man. "Yes that tasted like vinegar." he added.

"I'm sure he is fine."

"Good, because you'd have to take over the job if he doesn't." Hook said.

"I don't think I'd be very good at that..." Rose thought. "Or this world would really survive that." they stopped on the side of the road. "Here.. We need to change. Step out." the two did and Rose tool one of the books and looked up a spell. "Here this goes." she took a deep breath.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Emma asked.

"Its supposed to be a glamour spell." Rose said.

"Supposed?"

"Sometimes I freeze things.."

"Freeze?!"

"Don't worry! Me blowing things up is way more common."

"Way to bury the lead Autumn!" Emma looked worries. Rose knitted her brow. "Sorry.. I am still getting use to this." Emma sighed. "Okay, go." Rose did and in a puff of lilac smoke Emma emerged in a red dress with full make up and a tiara. Hook had two hands and was in a full suit himself.

"Here is how the world will see you." Rose showed them and the both looked different in the reflection than what she saw.

"Good job kid." Emma smiled.

"Thank you." she smiled back and changed her dress into the deep blue dress in her wardrobe that she could picture. It fell off her delicate shoulders and had fair dust diamonds that glittered the shoulders, the bodice and crept up from the bottom hem. And decorated her exposed shoulders with crystals with a crystal hair piece that mimicked a crown and her diamond necklace on her neck. Her hair was most up, except for one curl that came from the back and draped over her shoulder. She looked at Emma and Hook.

"I feel outdone." Emma knitted her brow.

"Did you think that up love?"

"What? No. That dress Emma was wearing was my mother's and this is just something from my wardrobe at home. I figured that was safer, because I know how to change clothes... thinking things up is where things get cold... or explodey." Rose nodded and walked to the carriage, Hook opened the door for her. "Acting Princely already?"

"I do have to practice." he winked. Rose shook her head and accepted his hand to help her in, Emma did the same thing. As they rounded the bend, the solid gold castle of King Midas come into their view, it was alight with fireworks.

"Wow." Emma breathed.

"King Midas... a run in with papa got him that gift of gold. I shudder to know what h traded for it or why he waned it"

"Power. Money brings power, little one. Power and the ability to be the pinnacle of grandeur." Hook rolled his eyes.

"Someone sounds bitter." Emma joked.

"I have always wanted to be a Queen... My mother never trusted royals, even though she was one." Rose said.

"I can see you as a Queen." Hook chuckled. "You might do some good."

"So, you've never seen a castle before, Lady Swan?"

"No.. well not ones like this. They have them where I am from, but they are old and in other countries." Emma shrugged.

"Mhmm... and you say I will end up there one day?"

"Yes. It's a place without magic." Emma told her. "You have the biggest house though."

"Sounds deplorable." Rose hummed, the carriage came to a stop and a door man opened the carriage, attempting to hide the shock on his face.

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**How much more trouble can Rose really cause outside of her castle? ... Right? **


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey Guys! I know, long time, no update! Little life change for your author here, I got into a major 4 year university... ssoooo... yeah! Sorry! But I should update more often now that my finals are over! **

**AANNYYWAAAYYY hope you enjoy!**

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"Invitations for announcement, please." Rose smiled and put her gold envelope in the man's hand.

"There you are, and they are with me."

"Apologies, but one invitation is good for only two people, ma'am." The Knight told her.

"These are my attendants, as you can tell I am quite young to be coming to these things alone."

"I cannot think of a time I have ever seen your face before at one of these events. I'm sorry, Miss, but my King was quite clear..." The Knight said.

"Open the envelope, son." Hook urged. The Knight did immediately told them to wait there. He came back with an anxious looking King Midas.

"Good Evening King Midas. My father sends his regards, and apologizes for not being here in person. But you know his business, it never ends." Rose nodded. "There are my valets for the evening, if you do not mind."

"Absolutely not, Princess Rose. I have heard that you were very beautiful for your age, but the stories do you no justice." Midas kissed her hand. "And who might I have the pleasure of welcoming into my castle?"

"I am Prince..." Hook hesitated.

"Charles. And I am Princess Leia." Emma bowed.

"Announce our guests." Midas told one of his doormen. "Princess Rose, you must meet my daughter. Her and her fiancee will be thrilled that you are gracing us with your presence." Midas took Rose's arm and motioned for Emma and Hook to follow. They were announced and lead over to the bride and groom to-be.

"He's my father." Emma leaned over and whispered to her.

"And your mother?" Rose nodded to Abigail.

"No." Emma shook her head.

"Daughter, meet Prince Charles, Princess Leia and, most importantly, Princess Rosalynn." Midas introduced them.

"Pleasure... I didn't realized we allowed children at this party father." Abigail waived Rosalynn off and walked away. Rose's first instinct was to glare, but she cleared her throat and opened up her fan.

"I have to apologize for my daughter, she is very stressed with wedding plans..." Midas started.

"Worry not, your highness. I can only imagine the effort that goes into a wedding as priceless as this." Rose's tone was sweet, but her pursed lips and fluttering fan showed off her annoyance. She looked at Abigail's prince.

"That thread work in your fan is lovely Princess Rosalynn." the man nodded. "I am Prince James."

"Thank you." She smiled. Midas turned to Hook and Emma, "Enjoy yourselves, I will keep watch of Princess Rose." he smiled and shooed them off and turned to Rose.

"Actually, if I may, might I lead his Highness to the dance floor? I've always wanted to exercise my waltzing on someone other than my Knight." Rose couldn't contain the small bounce in her toes.

"First Ball?" James asked.

"Yes." she smiled.  
"Well, I cannot deny you your first real waltz." Midas lead her out to the dance floor, where Emma and the Pirate were currently waltzing beautifully. She put a note to herself to tease the one handed man on his dance prowess later. Rose glided on the floor, perfectly poised and graceful, just like she had always practiced. She giggled as she bowed out with the King at the end of the song and slipped into Emma and Hook's dance.

"You can dance Pirate?" she winked.

"I asked the same thing." Emma laughed, Hook began gracefully dancing with both of his partners.

"Laugh as you will ladies, but I daresay that I am the luckiest pirate in the whole world." Hook flashed a smirk. Then the doors opened and Rose saw a figure in black strode in and speak to Midas.

"Regina's here."

"Ew, that's unacceptable." Rose glared.

"This wasn't in the plan..." Emma started.

"Relax, she is a guest. Midas probably thought she would do something terrible to him if he didn't invite her."

"I hope you don't mind, I brought friends." Regina said, and with a sweep of her arm, soldiers filled in the ballroom.

"Wait... where is Charming?" Emma noticed.

"I'll be the distraction." Rose smiled and sauntered over to where Regina was greeting King Midas. "Your Highness, you invited myself _and _Regina?" she smiled.

"Queen Regina."

"Bless you, dearie." Rose waived off Regina.

"I.. was unaware of your attendance." Midas said sheepishly. "I meant no disrespect..." he hesitated when black guards were dragging Emma in.

"Your Majesty, we caught this woman helping the bandit Snow." one guard announced.

"Oh? Were we going somewhere?" Regina looked Emma up and down.

"Regina, please..."

"That is informal. It's 'your majesty'. Take her away." Regina waived her arm. Rose scanned quickly for Hook and saw nothing. She glared at Midas, whose eyes darted between Rose and Regina.

"My father _will _hear about this." Rose looked Midas up and down with a glower. "Good evening." Rose turned heel and left the palace. She saw Hook at the carriage. "There really are no heroes amongst thieves."

"Not hardly. She was trying to give the ring to Snow and got caught. I was fighting off guards." Hook raised a brow. "Come on, I know what happens next."

"How can you possibly-"

"I've read the book." Hook opened the carriage door for you.  
"You can read?" she smirked and sat.

"You're a bit vicious."

"I don't like not getting my way." Rose sighed. "So now we have to go rescue Emma."

"Yes, but we have to get some help..."

"Like Daddy?"

"No like... just stow it and let me lead." Hook told her. "Get some sleep. We have to wait until the morning." Rose sighed and laid her head down. She felt like she had barely slept when Hook was shaking her awake.

"Time to go."

"Where are we going?" Rose yawned.

"To save Emma." he took his coat, which he had placed over Rose at some point in the night, and put it back on. She stepped out of the carriage. "You can't possibly going to stagger through the woods in a gown?" Rose looked down.

"I guess you're right." she magicked herself in a simpler dress.

"Try trousers, love." Hook laughed.

"Fine." Rose sighed, she switched to a riding dress. It was still too magnificent, but there were trousers apart of the outfit.

"Close enough." Hook shrugged. They walked into the woods and Rose noticed a conversation already going on between someone hanging from a tree in a net and Prince James.

"I just want me ring."

"Not the jewelry type." a woman's voice came from the net.

"Snow White." Rose whispered.

"Yep, and she doesn't have your ring, mate." Hook stepped forward. "My Princess does. And Sadly, Regina has taken her."

"Your Princess... that's two women who have robbed me." James rolled his eyes, then looked at Rose. "What does your father want with my ring?"

"My father doesn't want your ring."

"Then you don't pay your valets?" the Prince countered.

"You're about to be robbed by two women and have your head rung like a bell by a little girl." Rose scoffed.

"I wouldn't test her, mate." Hook stepped next to the Prince. "But we really need to get going."

"Listen. This can work out for all of us. James, you'll get your ring back. Snow, you'll be cut down and I'll give you the gold to get out of this Kingdom."

"And what do you get out of it?" James asked skeptically.

"My friend back." Rose looked between the two adults. "Do we have a deal?"

"Deal." Snow said quickly. "Now get me down." Rose smiled and took a deep breath. With a flick of her wrists the rope snapped, but instead of letting Snow down slowly, she hit the ground with a thud.

"Sorry." Rose bit her lip. Snow got up and rubbed her backside. Prince James was still distrusting of her, then his eyes got wide after a minute.

"Your father doesn't know where you're here... or were at the ball. Does he?" the Prince deduced, then turned to Hook. "How stupid are you helping her?"

"She had my hands tied." Hook shrugged.

"Wait, who is your father?" Snow asked, as they set off walking.

"OH! I am so sorry! I am Rose, Princess of the Dark Castle. Daughter of R-r-r-rumpelstiltskin" She rolled her 'r' and did a pretty little walking bow.

"You sounded like your father."

"I know! I've always wanted to say it like that." She giggled in a little squeak. "Let's go storm a castle!"

"I just made a deal... with Rumpelstiltskin's daughter..." Snow shook her head, Prince James shook his head.

"We are going the opposite way of the carriage." Rose pointed out.

"I know, we're taking that. It's less noticeable." Hook told her as he gestured to an old horse cart.

"Oh no..."

"And you're going in the back." he offered his hand to help her up. Rose saw that the back looked rotted and had foul hay in the back.

"No chance.. I am not going back there..."

"Snow will be with you." Hook told her. Snow looked at the glamoured pirate. "You can't be seen either." Snow sighed and hopped in the back and with a scowl, Rose joined her.

"Are you sure I like you?" Rose muttered as they started down the road.

"Yes. Now hush, cargo isn't go chatty." Hook told her. They hit their tenth or eleventh large hole and Rose hit against the side of the old cart.

"OUCH!"

"Sit fully down, you'll move less." Snow coached her. "I didn't know that The Dark One had a daughter."

"I did." James shrugged.

"Of course the Prince marrying King Midas' daughter did... I can only wonder how the sale came about." Snow rolled her eyes.

"Hey! Midas is a good king, he didn't sell his daughter-"

"I was referring to George selling you." Snow rolled her eyes and Rose giggled.

"HALT!" a voice came. She could tell it was black knights, meaning they were close.

"We were just delivering-" Hook started.

"You're Prince James.. and you were the Prince from the rooftop last night... Ooohhh her majesty is going to love seeing you." Rose Stood up and hopped out of the back of the cart.

"Hello Gentlemen. Regina has someone I need. I intend to get her back. So if you'd excuse me."

"We don't take orders from little girl." One guard got close to her.

"You really should have." Rose smiled and moved her hand to magic one of the Knights. Both laughed at her and got off their horses.

"You all just come quietly..." One smiled.

"Or not I enjoy the ladder." The other smirked and went to grab Rose. She swiftly kicked the man below the belt and drew his sword from the sheath and slashed the other guy in the back of the knee. She gave one a quick thump to the head and the snarky one a good kick.

"Well... that worked too."

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" James asked.

"I have a Black Knight at home." Rose shrugged. "He keeps me entertained." she smiled.

"Good. Wait here." Snow said getting out of the cart.

"Why?"  
"Night is the best time to attack.. and I have a friend that will help." Snow shrugged and walked into the woods. Hook and James tied the two guards to a tree and then found a more secluded clearing in the woods a bit of the road.

"So... we just wait here until night?"

"That we do." Hook smiled. "Any stories for me Princess?"  
"Any stories for me, dearie?" Rose giggled and James shivered.

"You sound like your father..."  
"Is that supposed to be an _insult_?" Rose eyed him up and down. "This is all your fault anyway."

"My fault? It was your valet who tried to rob me!"

"Succeeded, and I don't think that is the proper tone, Shepard." she smirked. "Yeah, I know."

"Shepard?" Hook asked.

"Don't ask... So..." James gathered up wood and made a fire. Rose practiced little bit of magic and it was dark until the awkward silence broke. "You must really love this girl, huh? Risking getting captured by Regina."

"Yeah... I do." Hook looked down.

"I saw you two dancing... she feels the same, you know?" Rose smiled.

"I know she does. It's a bit more complicated than that." Hook sighed.

"How complicated?" James asked.

"Well... her parents aren't very fond of me... for starters."

"Give them time to see the real you. If someone like you loved my daughter this much, I'd be ok with that." James smiled.

"You just remember that, mate." Hook chuckled, before Rose could ask, there was a rustling in the trees, both men stood up with swords drawn, Hook pushed Rose behind him slightly. A peasant woman with a red cloak came into the clearing.

"Woah, Snow sent me here to help." she put up her hands.

"How can you help?' James asked.

"You'll see, let's go." she ushered them, then she saw Rose. "Why is there a little girl with you?"

"Why is there a peasant telling me where I should and should not be? Both very logical questions, but..."

"Be nice." Hook told her.

"Shall we, then?" Rose smiled.

"Fine, but believe me, you'll want to stay behind one of them." the woman told her.

"Who are you?" James asked.

"Everyone just calls me Red." Red smiled and they pressed on. They found themselves in the tunnels under Regina's castle, heading towards the dungeons. They knew they were in the right place when they found a group of guards. "Hold this until I'm done... and stay back here." she took off her cloak and immediately turned into a wolf. Again, Hook pushed Rose behind him and the wolf-that-was-Red went the finished the group of guards.

"Oh. That's why she's here." Rose smiled. Once the guards were taken care of Jame placed the cloak over the wolf and Red transformed back. "Wolvestime curse... useful."

"Thank you?" then two other guards rounded the bend in the dungeon and Rose magically knocked their heads together, knocking them out. "Magic?"

"Nicely done." Hook smiled. "Now let's go rescue my Prince-" he turned and Emma was rounding the same bend with another woman in toe.

"I tend to save myself, just so you know." she smiled.

"You're okay!" Rose smiled.

"Yeah, let's go kid." Emma smiled and took her hand. They went to try to exit the same way, but were diverted through the castle by a group of guards forming. As they ran down the empty corridor they heard,

"Wait!" the group turned to see a knight taking his helmet on. "Rose... it's been you in the castle?"

"Huntsman." Rose smiled. "Regina took someone that didn't belong to her..."

"Rosalynn..." The Huntsman sighed. "What were you thinking?"

"You can come with us... it'll be returning the favor.. and you know how my family find debt diplorable." Rose winked.

"Rose, this is not a game. You need to leave now."

"Hunts-" he walked up and grabbed her shoulders. "Go now. Regina caught Snow White in the castle. It is the perfect distraction for you and your cohorts to get out."

"What?" everyone chorused.

"Yes. She's executing her in the square." The Huntsman said. "Rose, leave. Now."

"What do you mean executing?!" Rose said and ran down the hall to a large window. There stood Regina in the courtyard. The group caught the scene just as Regina through a fireball that engulfed the stake Snow was chained to in flames.

"No!" Red screamed.

"Oh no!" Emma gasped.

"We have to-"

"There is no helping her now. Get out of here." Huntsman told her.

"You won't have to stay here... I promise... I.. I won't let you die here.. I won't let you die hers." Rose said, choking back tears.

"I know, flower." he hugged her, then someone was picking her up. It was Hook. The Huntsman was right and they slipped out of the castle completely unnoticed. They all went back to the place they had met Red, the whole group was in mourning.

"She was my mother..." Emma whispered.

"I know Swan."

"I won't exist.. that mean Henry..." then Emma looked at Rose.

"What? Does that mean _I _wont exist?!" Rose gasped. "Wait..."

"No... just that... I am still here... Why?" Emma asked, then they looked at Prince James swatting at a bug. Then it started to buzz around Hook and then landed on Emma.

"Wait to smash that thing!" Rose said. "Snow had black fairy dust... It turns people into a form that is easily squashed... and if Emma is still here..." she picked up the lady bug in her hands. "I wonder how to change her back..."

"You'll be wondering for a bit longer, love." everyone turned to see Rumpelstiltskin standing there.

"Oh... Hi Daddy."

"Daddy?!" Red exclaimed.

"Rosalynn... You have gotten yourself in quite a bit of trouble."

"Rumpelsti-" he cut Emma off.

"I could still kill you dearie. I should kill him just because."

"But Daddy, Snow White is a bug. We have to change her back."

"You _have _to get into the carriage young lady."

"But Daddy..."

"No.."

"DADDY!" Rose pouted harder. "I want Snow White to not be a bug." Rumple looked at his daughter and her rooted stance. "I got out of the castle against your behest. Do you really think I won't stand here longer?" she raised her brow.

"So much like your mother. Well... put it on the log then." the sorcerer put two fingers on the bridge of his brown. "Go on, then."

"Wonderful." Rose obeyed and with a lazy flick of his wrist, Snow as restored to normal.

"OH my god! You're alive!" Emma hugged Snow, who looked very awkward.

"I am.. thank you." Snow turned away stiffly. "Thank you again Rumpelstiltskin-"

"No.. Not listening. You carriage. Now." The Dark One looked at his daughter.

"Yes Daddy..." she turned to Snow and James. "Thank you for helping me get my valet back." she smiled.

"Of course little Rose." Snow smiled.

"Same... you're not coming to the wedding." James winked.

"She has had enough fun for quite sometime. Especially after knocking me out and freezing her Knight." then he turned to Hook and Emma. "And you two are walking." Rumple ushered Rose into the carriage.

"Daddy-"

"Not a word. When we go home, you take yourself to your room."

"But-"

"Sh." he was obviously mad.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered and sighed. "I just wanted an adventure.. like you have." she looked out the window sadly. When she got home she did as she was told and went to her room. A few hours later her father summoned her downstairs. Emma and Hook had finally got there, Hook was carrying a woman.

"Who is that?"  
"Don't worry about it. Tell the two goodbye, because we both know too much and we have to take this potion."

"Okay, Daddy." she turned to Emma and Hook. "Thank the both of you... for giving me the best two nights of my life." she hugged Emma.

"Thank you for coming to save me." Emma smiled. Hook knelt down and scooped Rose up in tight hug.

"Little Lass.. try to remember something for me, will you?" he whispered. "You are going to hear many whispers from people, but those whispers aren't who you are, alright? You have the bravest, kindest, and most beautifully young woman I have ever met. Don't let anyone tell you any different, ever." he put her down and smiled at her.

"Thank you." she smiled.

"Now to bed. You've been up all night." he handed The Black Knight her potion and he took her back to her room. The Black Knight handed her the potion.

"Do I have to take this?"

"I am afraid so, Princess." he nodded. Rose looked down at the small vial with tears forming. "I had the best time for my life, Knight. And he wants to take it away from me."

"For your own good, he does not want you to hurt the timeline." The knight explained and Rose sniffled. "Princess... don't... don't do that." the knight bit his lip, then sighed. " Hand it over."

"What?"

"I'll drink it. But you have to promise to keep this from your father. Do NOT EVER interfere again, got it?"

"Thank you Black Knight!" she hugged him and he downed the potion.

"Princess?" he asked.

"I was just bidding you good night" Rose smiled.

"It's morning, ma'am."

"Yes.. but I had a fit-full night. Will you read me a story?" She smiled.

"Always, Princess." The Knight smiled back.

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**Awww the Black Knight is soo cute with his Princess...**

**And obviously, even when Rumple is upset, he's still a push over for his little girl! ; D**

**Hope to update sooon. **


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey guys! I know it's been forever... but surprise! Yeah I know I suck... **

* * *

Autumn stood in front of the diner feeling proud of herself. The well in the woods was all decorated for the wedding and Archie was already there. She had gotten her mother a dress and a cake and everything a wedding needed. She strutted herself into the diner, where she saw Hook and Emma sitting with their family. She walked up to Emma and gave her a hug, then proceeded to jump on Hook, giving him a very large hug.

"Thank you." she whispered into the pirate's ear. "For giving me everything I needed to get through this. Even though I didn't always realize it." she smiled and pulled away.

"Autumn! Did you know that Emma and Hook were Leia and Charles?" Snow asked.

"Not at all." She turned to Hook and Emma. "Why would I ever know that? I was too busy being the most beautiful woman alive." she winked at the two.

"You didn't..."

"Of course I didn't. Excuse me, I have a deal to make." She blew a kiss at the pirate, then turned to face Chess who was sitting across the diner. "Oi, Catboy."

"Catboy?"

"Care to make a deal, dearie?" she smiled.

"I could only imagine what I would ge-" Chess started, Autumn removed her jacket to reveal her dress. A red corseted number, with off the shoulder sleeves that were made of red lace. It fell to just about the knee. She wore white pumps and a white lace choker that had a teardrop diamond that rested on her chest. Someone whistles low and Chess let his sentence drift away. He recovered and got up from his chair. "Where are we going."

"You need a change of wardrobe." She snapped her fingers and gave him a black suit with a red tie that matched her dress. He looked down and in a puff, he changed the shirt to red and removed the tie.

"Shall we?" he asked, offering his arm.

"Don't you wan to know where she's taking you, mate?" Hook asked.

"Why.. somewhere terrible." Autumn winked at Hook and magicked away with her date. They reappeared in the woods, not far from the well.

"Maybe... I should have asked." Chess mumbled.

"Mom and Dad's wedding. I needed a date." she laughed. "But I might kill you later, if the mood strikes me."

"I'll do my best to stay on your good side." Chess smiled.

"You never do..." Autumn rolled her eyes and sighed. "It's a shame, since you are so handsome." she brushed a bit of something off of Chess' lapel.

"You think I'm handsome?"

"Extremely. It's what made you so infuriating. You're handsome and you know it, and you use it." Chess smiled. "Yeah.. that smug ass smile." They walked to the decorated well, complete with candles and roses. Archie, Dove and her father were already there, Chess chuckled at Gold.

"You look nervous."

"More excited." Gold turned to Autumn. "This place looks lovely. And so do you."

"Thank you Daddy." she smiled then looked at her phone. Moe French texted her, telling her that Belle and himself were there. "Mom is coming. Places!" she saw her father become a bit misty eyed as her mother walked up the makeshift isle in a white dress, white coat and pretty white cap. Moe 'handed' Belle to Gold and stepped to the side. Archie cleared his throat and smiled.

"Today, I have the pleasure to unite these two people in marriage. You two have written your own vows?" he smiled.

"Rumpelstiltskin, this thing we have... it's never been easy. I've lost you so many times; to darkness, to weakness, and finally to death. But now I realize that I haven't spent my life losing you, but have spent my life finding you." Belle teared up as she spoke.

"Belle, when we met I wasn't just unloved and unloving, I was an enemy of love. Love had only brought me pain. My walls were up, and you broke them down..." Gold looked at Autumn, "You brought me home. You brought light into my life, chased away the darkness, and gave me the greatest gift I could ever ask for... our daughter. You didn't only bring me home, you gave me a home, and a family that the monster I was never believed I could have again. I vow to you, I will never forget the distance between what I was, and what I am. I owe you more than I can ever say, how you can see the man behind the monster, I will never know." he smiled at Belle.

"But that monster is gone, and the man beneath it maybe flawed but we all are. I look at our daughter with pride, knowing that all these years the man I knew you could be raised her. The man I always saw came through and our daughter is smart, kind, caring and inquisitive. A monster could not raise our daughter, Rumple, you did. I have always believed that sometimes the best book has the dustiest jacket, and sometimes the best teacup is chipped."

Autumn took a deep breath, holding back tears of joy as her parents kissed and officially became husband and wife.

"I never took you as one to cry at weddings." Chess smirked, his voice breaking slightly.

"Nor I, you." Autumn raised a brow.

"Without fail." Chess took a handkerchief out of his inner pocket and dabbed his eyes. Autumn laughed.

"Archie, would you care to get a drink at Grannies? I got a room there... I uh.. don't think I am wanted at home tonight." she smiled. "You're more than welcome to come as well, Moe."

"You can call me grandpa... and I would love to." Moe smiled. Autumn gave him an awkward smile. "Moe works for now too." he nodded, but Autumn still felt a little bit awkward around him, but she made a mental note that he was attempting to move passed the past and she would also make the effort back. Although; her and Chess did take Archie's invitation for a ride back to Granny's, instead of climbing into Moe's delivery van.

"Thank you again, Arch. You have no idea how beautiful that was." Autumn smiled at the therapist from the passenger seat.

"Of course, Autumn. I wish your parents happiness." Archie said.

"Yes, if any couple was more deserving, I should say it is them." Chess smiled. "I am glad you invited me, thank you." he looked at Autumn.

"Thank you for coming, I didn't want to show up to my parent's wedding without a date." Autumn shrugged as they pulled up in front of the dinner. Autumn noticed Regina, Robin, Rolland and a woman standing on the patio.

"I wonder what that is..." Archie asked.

"It doesn't look very pleasant..." Chess said, getting out of the car and opening Autumn's door. The three of them walked across the street, Moe pulling up soon after.

"Regina... Robin..." Autumn made her presence known, she turned to the woman. She was wearing clothes that belonged to their world, then it dawned on her, "You must be.."

"Autumn, this is Marion. My..." Robin cleared his throat. "Wife." Autumn shifted her eyes straight to Regina, then to Robin, then back to Marion.

"Oh..." Autumn extended her hand. "Autumn Gold, welcome to Storybrooke."

"Where you have the Evil Queen just running about..." Marion began,

"Where we believe that people deserve chances, and they can change." Autumn defended.

"And where we foster that change." Archie spoke up, stepping to Regina's side. The door to the diner opened, Snow and Charming stepped out.

"Regina, is everything OK?" Snow asked.

"Well, nothing as been incinerated yet..." Charming mumbled.

"Inappropriate." Autumn glared at him.

"Regina.. you alright?" Snow pushed.

"Why are you all defending her!" Marion yelled, this prompted Henry, Hook and Emma to come out as well.

"Mom, what's going on?" Henry asked.

"She's a monster!" Marion pointed at Regina, Autumn could have sworn she saw Regina's lip tremble, before she turned on her heel and walked away.

"Regina.." Emma called, stepping to go after her.

"Don't Swan, no good ever came from pushing that woman." Hook stopped her. Autumn walked over to Robin.

"How could you let her say those things to Regina?"

"Really Autumn? Right now..."

"Yes! Because this isn't about you..."

"She's my wife.."

"And Regina is a good person! Whether or not there is tension with your wife being back, that isn't justice for you to stand by and let her treat another person like that... Am I to expect a telling off next?"

"What? No, you're-"

"The daughter of Rumpelstiltskin? Are you going to stand by meekly? Just stare like a goddamn puppy?"

"I pegged you to have better sense-"

"I pegged you as a grown ass man. It seems like we both had misconceptions on each other. Run along now..." Autumn stomped her foot.

"You didn't have to say that to him..." Emma started.

"You don't get to do that... I spent most of my life trying not to screw things up... just to find out that it was all in vain... You know I could have had my mother home with me? I could have not watched my father rot in a damn cell..." she bit her lip. "I could have had a happy family, not tagging on the coattails of the Charming's... but I didn't. I let things go as planned. Just so you could mess it up."

"Was I supposed to let her die-"

"YES EMMA! PEOPLE DIE!" Autumn shouted, the lights flickered and the surrounding area got significantly colder.

"Enough..." Charming snapped.

"We just have to give Regina some space." Hook said.

"Well... we should watch what she does in that space." Charming said.

"You don't think she'll become evil again.. do you?" Henry asked.

"If we all give up on her, yeah. But I at least won't. You have me on her side." Autumn sighed. "Goddamn... she can't get one second." she muttered as she and the group she came with walked into the diner.

"Well... this is awkward." Chess said.

"Its not awkward, it just isn't fair." Autumn sighed.

"So... not that I don't believe that you aren't Regina's #1 fan. Why are you really angry at Emma for messing up the past?" Archie asked, pouring a drink for everyone.

"What do you mean?" Autumn said, taking a sip and wrinkling her face at the burn.

"You get angry like your mother." Moe said, swigging his back.

"Yes, she does." Chess laughed.

"You've seen Belle really angry?" Moe asked. "It is a rare sight, but a frightening one."

"I've seen her pregnant and hormonal... so practically the same thing." Chess said, Moe raised an eye brow. "She threw a book at Rumple." Moe chuckled, Autumn just stared at her drink until she gathered the courage to take another, much larger, sip.

"Is it about Grahm?" Archie asked, Autumn began to choke slightly.

"That's enough for one night, I am going to head up to my room," she put some money on the counter, "Goodnight Gentlemen. Thank you for all your help this evening." She walked up the stairs to her room, took off her dress, and fell asleep quickly.


End file.
